SLOW SALLY & CREW

Even before I knew what they were called, I scrolled through photos of slot canyons on my phone, hoping that one day I’d have the chance to explore one and capture my own photos. But until recently, I didn’t even know where to find them. Imagine how thrilled I was to discover that southern Utah, where we would be spending a whole month exploring, is home to the largest concentration of slot canyons in the whole world!

What the heck is a slot canyon, you ask? It’s a narrow gorge carved deep into the surrounding sandstone by millions of years of rushing water. Their walls tower high above the canyon floor, which is often just a few feet (or less) wide.

We committed to exploring the land of slot canyons with zeal and conquered five of the area’s most famous canyons:

• Little Wild Horse – least narrow, most family/dog-friendly, and best introduction to slots
• Zebra – narrowest at the bottom, most photogenic, and quite short
• Tunnel (on the same loop as Zebra) – least impressive, shortest, and most water-filled
• Peek-a-boo – muddiest, and most physically and technically challenging
• Spooky (on the same loop as Peek-a-boo) – longest, eeriest, most claustrophobic, and exciting

We loved our adventures in the slot canyons so much, I’m devoting an entire post to what we loved about them, and why you might want to add one (or more) to your bucket list. In fact, Marc and I agree that of all our adventures in Utah to date, exploring the slot canyons was our favourite. For those of you seriously thinking about hiking a slot canyon, we’re cautioning you by sharing 3 things we think you should know… and may not love.

6 Things We Love

#1 – Unique and Exciting Adventure

Exploring the slot canyons of southern Utah was an adventure unlike any other we’ve had. As you slink through the narrow canyon, you just never know what’s around the corner… or if you’ll get stuck! We truly felt like explorers – the way we always imagined “exploring” as kids. Perhaps that’s because slot canyons are unique and something of a rarity. Outside of the southwest US, you have to travel to Australia or Europe to find similar groupings of these canyons.

#2 – Incredibly Picturesque

The towering canyon walls are smooth, sculpted, undulating, and coloured orange, pink, and purple. The slot canyons were even more spectacular in person, inspiring me to take heaps of photos, trying desperately to capture their essence and share what we were experiencing. All of the canyons were incredibly picturesque but I think that the striped walls of Zebra Slot were the prettiest.

#3 – Physically Challenging

Hiking the slot canyons felt like conquering an obstacle course or being set free on a playground. We loved the challenge as we found ourselves scrambling over boulders, squeezing through narrow walls, crawling under stone arches, and in some cases, like in Zebra Slot, stemming and chimneying along the canyon walls because the floor was too narrow for our feet!

Peek-a-boo Slot had the sketchiest section of trail, requiring a difficult, unsupported 12-foot scramble to climb into it. In Spooky Slot, we had to lower ourselves 10 feet down a narrow hole between boulders. Sometimes ropes are available in these tricky spots, but not while we were there. Little Wild Horse Slot was by far the easiest, most dog and family-friendly canyon we explored.

#4 – Shady & Cool on a Hot Day

Even on an oppressively hot, sunny day, slot canyons are shady and cool. They are so narrow that very little light reaches the interior walls and floor. It was dark enough in parts of Spooky Slot that I could have used a flashlight. Hiking in slot canyons is a perfect activity on a hot afternoon. But beware, some of the canyons can only be accessed by first hiking a long, sun-scorched trail, so it’s best to know the trail and plan ahead.

#5 – Dog-Friendly (Sort of…)

Walter, our adventure Mutt, was allowed to follow us into all of the slot canyons we explored. It was such a relief and a pleasant surprise after spending so much time in dog-unfriendly National Parks. But as we discovered, when it comes to slot canyons, “dog-friendly” means that dogs are permitted, not that they can realistically manage to squeeze themselves through.

Little Wild Horse was the best dog-friendly slot canyon. We had to help Walter over a few obstacles but he was able to complete the whole canyon and loved it. Next, we tried to squeeze him through Zebra Slot, but there was just no way he was going to fit. He had to wait at the entrance with a new puppy friend while we took turns exploring it. After reading about how narrow Spooky Slot was, we didn’t even consider trying to bring him with us.

That said, we have read accounts of people bringing their dogs into each of these canyons. So, it can be done! It all depends on your dog’s size (smaller is better), its athletic ability, your athletic ability, and how intimidated you and your dog are about the idea of possibly getting a little stuck.

#6 – Surrounded by Dispersed Camping

Each of the slot canyons we explored was surrounded by beautiful dispersed camping areas. We spent several days and nights driving down long, bumpy dirt roads, exploring slot canyons, and camping near trailheads in the middle of nowhere. Feeling extra adventurous one night, we opted to do a night of backcountry camping along the trail to Peek-a-boo and Spooky. It was magical… and free!

3 Things You May Not Love

#1 – Dangerous & Sometimes Deadly

Slot canyons can be extremely dangerous. They’re susceptible to flash floods in rainy conditions, filling with fast-moving water and debris, causing anyone trapped in the canyon to be drowned or crushed. Several hikers have died due to flash flooding in slot canyons, including 2 just this year in nearby Buckskin Gulch. They’re also deadly for local cows, who sometimes wander in and get stuck. Eww!

On a less morbid note, slot canyons can remain filled with water from rainstorms, requiring that you wade, instead of hike through. Tunnel Slot had thigh-deep water when we visited and Walter didn’t love that, although it was a perfect way to cool off. At certain times of the year, some canyons fill neck deep with water.

#2 – Claustrophobic

If you’re claustrophobic, exploring slot canyons is likely not for you. Little Wild Horse is the least narrow of the canyons we visited, and a good test to see how you feel moving through the tighter sections. There’s a sign at the trailhead to Spooky Slot, with a super narrow entrance between 2 posts. It cautions, “If you have trouble fitting your body between these posts, do not proceed through Spooky Gulch. You may become stuck and need rescue”. Gulp! And guess what, they aren’t kidding.

Despite being mildly claustrophobic, I did manage to hike through (and enjoy) all 5 slot canyons. But I won’t lie, it took some serious, conscious mind control. I think it was my high level of stoke about the adventure that got me through. For about a week after hiking the slot canyons, I woke up in the night gasping for air, feeling trapped in the confines of the van. Just a little PTSD.

#3 – Easily Crowded

Like every awesome attraction in southern Utah, slot canyons are busiest on the weekend. And in slot canyons, a busy trail can make things complicated. In such narrow spaces, encountering people coming in the opposite direction means having to stem or chimney over, climb under, or squeeze uncomfortably close to them to get by. We visited Zebra and Little Wild Horse Slots on the weekend. Each had a lot of people going out and back and in both cases, we were playing a bizarre game of Twister in places (anyone remember that awkward game?!). Everyone was friendly and helpful but it’s best to visit during weekdays when the trails are quieter.

Stay Tuned

After 1 month and so many epic desert adventures, it was finally time to leave Utah and start making our way home. Stay tuned for our adventures in Badlands National Park, which were anything but bad.