Buckskin Gulch
and
Paria Canyon

September 22-26, 2009

Hikers

Dave O'Brien
Joe Plassmann
Colin Dundas

Hike Description

Paria Canyon crosses the Arizona/Utah border and meets the Colorado River at Lee's Ferry. The central section of the Canyon is very narrow, and widens as it approaches the Colorado River. We hiked into the Canyon via Buckskin Gulch (reputedly the longest slot canyon in the world), starting at the Wire Pass trailhead, and ending at Lee's Ferry, for a total distance of a little over 45 miles in 5 days. We left our car at Lee's Ferry, and hired someone to drive us to the Wire Pass Trailhead. This was definitely one of the most demanding hikes I've ever done, and also one of the most amazing.

Flash floods are a big danger on this hike, especially in the early narrow parts, but we fortunately had a clear weather report for the hike. Unfortunately, the canyon flooded the week before, giving us plenty of mud, quicksand, and deep, stagnant pools to wade through! Colin and I wore Teva sandals, and Joe wore Teva water shoes. I think his feet were a bit better off due to that choice of footwear.

Here is a map of the area, and the same map with the route labeled.

The BLM publishes the Hikers Guide to Paria Canyon, which includes detailed maps and mileages. It can be hard to find in bookstores and online, but it is available here. It is probably also available at the ranger station. A book I read for additional information about the area, including details about Paria canyon and Buckskin Gulch, is Hiking and Exploring the Paria River by Michael R. Kelsey. These sources both give inportant information about the locations of springs in the Canyon for getting fresh drinking water. The Paria River water could be drunk if necessary, but it has a lot of sediment that would mess up most filters, and it probably tastes pretty bad because of the high mineral content.

The BLM webpage with more information and an online permit application is available here. Be warned, starting next year, it will be mandatory to pack out all of your poop from the narrow sections of the canyon! It's currently voluntary but strongly recommended, so we obliged, which led to many poo-related jokes during the trip...

Pictures (mostly mine, with some from Joe)

Day 0 - Driving up and camping before the hike
Day 1 - Wire Pass to the confluence via Buckskin Gulch
Day 2 - Paria Canyon
Day 3 - Paria Canyon
Day 4 - Paria Canyon
Day 5 - Out to Lee's Ferry

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Last modified October 1, 2009