Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley

1. Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley Of Fire
2. Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley Fair

Similar to Antelope Canyon and Monument Valley, I would see the Grand Canyon at sunrise and sunset and do the Antelope Canyon tour during the middle of the day. Even, if you have very little time, take a Grand Canyon helicopter tour that includes a visit to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Lake Powell looks like Monument Valley after a huge flood. The rock formations are fantastic, the hidden slot canyons can be explored by kayak and houseboats can still find secluded places to tie up for the night. The brand new Antelope Pointe Marina in Page is a great place to rent a power boat, ski boat, jet ski, or kayak. At 21 miles long, Buckskin Gulch holds the title as the longest navigated of the Utah slot canyons. Hikers can navigate the dark, winding narrows on a two-day backpacking trip, with a recommended 13.5 miles on day one, and 7.5 miles on day two.

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Many narrow canyons cut into the foothills of the Kaiparowits Plateau at the center of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and two of the Paria River drainage system have become quite well known - Bull Valley Gorge and Round Valley Draw. Waters of the latter flow south into the larger, wider Hackberry Canyon which then joins Cottonwood Creek, and this in turn meets the main river, a couple of miles south of the site of the old town of Paria.
The canyon formed by Round Valley Draw has about a half mile of deep, cool narrows through the light-colored, narrow layered Navajo sandstone rocks typical of this region. There are a couple of dryfalls to overcome but no major obstacles and the most interesting section can be explored in just 2 hours.

Map

Topographic map of Round Valley Draw.

Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley Of Fire

Location

The canyon is reached by Cottonwood Canyon Road - the useful shortcut between US 89/Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon National Park. From the north end it is a 14 mile drive south then east, past the turning to Kodachrome Basin State Park, up and over several steep ridges to the streamway, which crosses the road a few miles before the frequently visited landmark of Grosvenor Arch. A side track is signposted to Round Valley Draw - this follows the shallow valley south for 1.5 miles, near to where the canyon deepens. There is one difficult stream crossing early on, then a second soon before the start of the narrows, just before which is a good place for parking, although the road does continue - it runs in the creek bed for a while then up the far side, on to the Rush Beds plateau and Booker Canyon. Off road vehicles can drive further down the creek, right to where the deep part of Round Valley Draw begins. In the late 1990s the BLM installed a trail register nearby, and it shows that on average one or two groups visit the canyon every day during the summer months.

Photographs

8 views of Round Valley Draw.

Route Description

After a 20 minute walk downstream from the parking area, the canyon proper starts abruptly - the creek cuts into the top of the Navajo sandstone layer via a three-stage drop of 15 feet, descent of which may be aided by a tree stump wedged between the rocks. This is easy enough going down but moderately difficult to climb back up. Most of the gorge thereafter is often muddy although usually without any major pools; a few days after rainfall the deepest water that requires wading is typically just 1.5 feet. The early narrows are particularly pretty with lots of thin tilted strata eroded into curves and ridges, and plenty of places where the sun illuminates the passageways and reflects along the canyon walls.

Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley Fair

Many narrow canyons cut into the foothills of the Kaiparowits Plateau at the center of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and two of the Paria River drainage system have become quite well known - Bull Valley Gorge and Round Valley Draw. Waters of the latter flow south into the larger, wider Hackberry Canyon which then joins Cottonwood Creek, and this in turn meets the main river, a couple of miles south of the site of the old town of Paria.
The canyon formed by Round Valley Draw has about a half mile of deep, cool narrows through the light-colored, narrow layered Navajo sandstone rocks typical of this region. There are a couple of dryfalls to overcome but no major obstacles and the most interesting section can be explored in just 2 hours.

Map

Topographic map of Round Valley Draw.

Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley Of Fire

Location

The canyon is reached by Cottonwood Canyon Road - the useful shortcut between US 89/Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon National Park. From the north end it is a 14 mile drive south then east, past the turning to Kodachrome Basin State Park, up and over several steep ridges to the streamway, which crosses the road a few miles before the frequently visited landmark of Grosvenor Arch. A side track is signposted to Round Valley Draw - this follows the shallow valley south for 1.5 miles, near to where the canyon deepens. There is one difficult stream crossing early on, then a second soon before the start of the narrows, just before which is a good place for parking, although the road does continue - it runs in the creek bed for a while then up the far side, on to the Rush Beds plateau and Booker Canyon. Off road vehicles can drive further down the creek, right to where the deep part of Round Valley Draw begins. In the late 1990s the BLM installed a trail register nearby, and it shows that on average one or two groups visit the canyon every day during the summer months.

Photographs

8 views of Round Valley Draw.

Route Description

After a 20 minute walk downstream from the parking area, the canyon proper starts abruptly - the creek cuts into the top of the Navajo sandstone layer via a three-stage drop of 15 feet, descent of which may be aided by a tree stump wedged between the rocks. This is easy enough going down but moderately difficult to climb back up. Most of the gorge thereafter is often muddy although usually without any major pools; a few days after rainfall the deepest water that requires wading is typically just 1.5 feet. The early narrows are particularly pretty with lots of thin tilted strata eroded into curves and ridges, and plenty of places where the sun illuminates the passageways and reflects along the canyon walls.

Slot Canyons Near Monument Valley Fair

Similar Canyons

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