Canyoneering Route Description List:
Zion National Park, Utah.

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Zion Canyoneering

Area Contact Info

Zion Back Country Desk - (435) 772-0170.  Zion Adventure Co. - (435) 772-1001.

Zion NPS Zion Adventure Company

Behunin Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Time Required - 10 to 12 hours
Distance - 6.8 miles total, 2.2 miles technical.
Rappels - 9 total, longest rap 170'
Elevation Range - 4280 - 6300 feet
Shuttle Required - No. Vehicle - Passenger. Permit Required - Yes

Birch Hollow - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A IV (or III depending on route)

Exiting down Orderville to the Narrows.

Exit - - - Down Orderville and the Narrows
Time Required - 10 to 13
Distance - 10.6 miles Total, 0.8 miles Technical
Rappels - 10 Rappels, Longest Rappel 100 feet. (2 extra raps if exiting down Orderville making a total of 12)
Elevation Range for loop option on foot - 6740 - 5510 Feet
Shuttle Required - Yes 22.1 Miles Vehicle - Passenger.  Rain may require High Clearance or 4WD Permit Required - Yes

Exit - - - Up Orderville then Up Wild Wind Hollow
Time Required - 5 to 8
Distance - 4.4 miles Total, 0.8 miles Technical
Rappels - 10 Rappels, Longest Rappel 100 feet.
Elevation Range for loop option on foot - 6820 - 4440 Feet
Shuttle Required - No Vehicle - Passenger.  Rain may require High Clearance or 4WD Permit Required - No

Exit - - - Up Orderville to the Upper Orderville trailhead.
Time Required
- xxDistance - 5.3 miles Total, 0.8 miles Technical
Rappels - 10 Rappels, Longest Rappel 100 feet. (2 extra raps if exiting down Orderville)
Elevation Range for shuttle option - 5510 - 6400 Feet
Shuttle Required - Yes 3.2 Miles Vehicle - Passenger.  Rain may require High Clearance or 4WD Permit Required - No

Boundary Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3AorC IV

Distance - Using the MIA Exit....6.8 miles Total, 1.1 miles Technical
The MIA Exit is not counted in the technical miles but will present its own challenges.
Distance - Using the Kolob Creek thru Zion Narrows exit....12.9 miles Total, 1.1 miles Technical
Rappels - 7 Rappels, Longest Rappel 165 feet.
Elevation Range - using the MIA Exit 7482 - 5580 Feet
Elevation Range - using the Kolob Creek thru Zion Narrows exit 7482 - 4500 Feet
Shuttle Required - No For MIA Exit.  Yes for Kolob Creek to Zion Narrows exit 36.5 Miles
Vehicle -
Passenger Permit Required - No since Boundary Canyon lies just outside the park boundary.

Das-Boot - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III or IV (Depending on exit route)

Down Das Boot then back "UP" the standard Subway Approach
Time Required
- 4-6 hours
Distance - 8.4 miles Total, 0.7 miles Technical
Rappels - 3 Rappels, Longest Rappel 25 feet.
Elevation Range - 6970 - 5590 Feet
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Down Das Boot then Continue down the Subway Route
Time Required
- 9 to 11 hours
Distance - 7.7 miles Total, 2.0 miles Technical
Rappels - 7 Rappels, Longest Rappel 25 feet.
Elevation Range - 6970 - 4670 Feet
Shuttle Required -Yes 7.6 Miles Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Echo Canyon (middle) - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B II

Distance - 4.7 miles total, 0.9 miles technical.
Rappels - 7 total, longest rap 20'

Englestead Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  4B III R

Distance - 7.4 miles total, 5 miles technical.
Rappels - 11 total, longest rap 290 feet (Rap 1 feels like you are dropping into the belly of the Earth.)  
10 rappels in Englestead and 1 in lower Orderville Canyon if exiting down canyon via the Zion Narrows.

Fat Man's Misery - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Distance - 9.25 miles total, 1.6 miles technical.
Rappels - 4 total, longest rap 50'

Heaps Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  4B IV (or V) R or X

Bottom - Up Route:
Time Required
- 15 to 25 hours
Distance - 10.5 miles Total, 3.1 miles Technical
Rappels - 25 Rappels, Longest Rappel 290 feet.
Elevation Range - 7357 - 4280 Feet
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Top - Down Route:
Time Required
- 15 to 25 hours
Distance - 12.9 miles Total, 3.1 miles Technical
Rappels - 25 Rappels, Longest Rappel 290 feet.
Elevation Range - 7470 - 4280 Feet
Shuttle Required -Yes 36.6 Miles Vehicle - Passenger - Possible High Clearance Permit Required - Yes

Heaps Canyon was my second canyon ever.  At that time I was very overwhelmed with teh intensity of the route.  Being overwhelmed is part of why I think I ended up falling in love with Canyoneering.  To read a quick account of that trip check out "Heaps - Through the Eyes of a Beginner Canyoneer".

Hidden Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A III

Distance - 6 miles total, 1.7 miles technical.
Rappels - 7 total, longest rap 100'

Hook Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A IV (possibly a 4A IV due to the approach)

Distance - 9.7 miles total, 12.1 miles technical.
The approach has some technical aspects not included in the technical miles stated here.
Rappels - 2 total, longest rap 120'
Elevation Range - 4280 - 6780 feet
Shuttle Required - No. Vehicle - Passenger. Permit Required - Yes

Icebox Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A IV

Distance - 13 miles total, 2.9 miles technical.
Rappels - 9 total, longest rap 150' (Getting down the North Entry is 5 of the 9 raps.  1A thru 1E)

 Imlay Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  4B IV or V  R

Time Required - 16 to 24 hours
Distance from Lava Point -                             11.4 miles Total, 3.2 miles Technical
Distance from Angel's Landing Trailhead -   13.1 miles Total, 3.2 miles Technical.
Rappels - 46 Rappels, Longest Rappel 170 feet.
Elevation Range from Lava Point - 7480 - 4500 feet.
Elevation Range from Angles Landing Trailhead - 4176 - 7360 feet.
Shuttle Required - Yes if starting from Lava Point 36.3 miles  Vehicle - Passenger  Permit Required - Yes

 Imlay Canyon -Sneak Route - Zion National Park, Utah.  4B IV or V  R

Time Required - 16 to 24 hours
Distance - 9.1 miles Total, 1.1 miles Technical
Rappels - 27 Rappels, Longest Rappel 110 feet.
Elevation Range - 4176 - 6050 feet.
Shuttle Required - No  Vehicle - Passenger  Permit Required - Yes

 Jolley Gulch - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A I

Time Required - 4 hours
Distance - 4.3 miles Total, 0.1 miles Technical
Rappels - 2 Rappels, Longest Rappel 160 feet.
Elevation Range - 5720 - 6105 feet.
Shuttle Required - No  Vehicle - Passenger  Permit Required - Yes

 Keyhole Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Distance - 0.7 miles total, 0.2 miles technical.
Rappels - 2 total, longest rap 60' (unless rap 2 is done as two separate raps of 30' each.)

 Kolob Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3C IV or V

Exiting via MIA Exit (recommended route)
Time Required - 12 to 16 hours
Distance(exiting via MIA Exit) - 8 miles Total, 2.5 miles Technical (recommended route)
Rappels - 14 Rappels, Longest Rappel 200 feet.
12 raps down to the confluence with Oak Creek. 
1 rap between Kolob and Boundary. 
1 Rap down stream of the confluence with Boundary Canyon.
Elevation Range - 7540 - 5580 Feet
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Exiting via Zion Narrows to Temple of Sinawava
Time Required - 16 to 22 hours
Distance - 14.4 miles Total, 2.5 miles Technical
Rappels - 7 Rappels, Longest Rappel 200 feet.
Elevation Range - 7540 - 4450 Feet
Shuttle Required -Yes 37.2 Miles Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Lodge Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Distance - 4.6 miles total, 1.3 miles technical.
Rappels - 6 total, longest rap 200'
Distance includes mileage for side trips to Mountain of the Sun and to a cool cave to the side of the canyon.

Mis-Me Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Time Required - 7 to 10 hours
Distance - 10.6 miles total, 1.3 miles technical.
Rappels - 3 total, longest rap 60'
Elevation Range - 43870- 6640 feet
Shuttle Required - No. Vehicle - Passenger. Permit Required - Yes

Mystery Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Distance - 7.6 miles Total, 1.8 miles Technical (starting from Weeping Rock trailhead).
Rappels - 11 total, longest rap 135'

Not Imlay Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A III

Time Required - 8 to 10 hours
Distance - 6.9 miles Total, 0.2 miles Technical
Rappels - 7 Rappels, Longest Rappel 230 feet.  (bring rope for 250 foot drop)
Elevation Range - 4280 - 6000 Feet
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Pine Creek Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B II

Time Required - 4 to 6 hours
Distance - 1.3 miles Total, 0.4 miles Technical
Rappels - 5 Rappels, Longest Rappel between 85 and 100 feet
Rap 5 is the longest rap and used to be 100 feet until there was a rock fall in 2009 filling in the bottom making the rap 85 feet.  Some of debris at the bottom of rap 5 is being washed out over time so go prepared for a possible 100 foot rappel.
Elevation Range - 5140 - 4390 Feet
Shuttle Required -Yes 1.9 or 2.8 Miles Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Red Caves - Zion National Park, Utah.  2B II (optionally made a 3B II)

Distance - 7.1 miles total, 1.1 miles technical.
Rappels - 3 total, longest rap 30'.  (All rappels are optional and not recommended)
Elevation Range - 5290 - 6000 feet
Shuttle Required - No. Vehicle - Passenger. Permit Required - No

Refrigerator Canyon (Upper) - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A II

Time Required - 3 to 5 hours
Distance - 4.5 miles Total, 0.6 miles Technical
Rappels - 2 Rappels, Longest Rappel 50 feet.
Elevation Range - 4280 - 5800 Feet
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Refrigerator Canyon (Lower) - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A I

Time Required - 3 to 4 hours
Distance - 1.9 miles Total, 0.1 miles Technical
Rappels - 3 Rappels, Longest Rappel 190 feet.
Elevation Range - 4280 - 4920 Feet
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Russell Gulch - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III or IV (depending on exit)

Down Russell Gulch then back "UP" the standard Subway Approach
Time Required
- 4-6 hours
Distance - 6.4 miles Total, 1.0 miles Technical
Rappels - 3 Rappels, Longest Rappel 90 feet.
Elevation Range - 6970 - 5590 Feet
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Down Russell Gulch then Continue down the Subway Route
Time Required
- 7 to 9 hours
Distance - 7.7 miles Total, 2.3 miles Technical
Rappels - 7 Rappels, Longest Rappel 90 feet.
Elevation Range - 6970 - 4670 Feet
Shuttle Required -Yes Miles Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Shelf Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A I

Time Required - 3.5 hours
Distance - 2.0 miles Total, 0.4 miles Technical
Rappels - 1 Rappels, Longest Rappel 200 feet.
Elevation Range - 5158 - 6100 feet.
Shuttle Required - No  Vehicle - Passenger  Permit Required - Yes

Spearhead Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  Rating Undetermined

Distance - 7.0 miles to the head of the canyon.  Additional miles for completing the canyon or retreating back down Behunin.
Rappels - Scouting trip to head is all that has been done.  No rappel info available.

Spry Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Distance - 2.9 miles total, 1.3 miles technical.
Rappels - 11 total, longest rap 190'

The Subway - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Time Required - 7 to 9 hours
Distance - 7.7 miles Total, 1.3 miles Technical
Rappels - 4 Rappels, Longest Rappel 25 feet.
Elevation Range - 6970 - 4670 Feet
Shuttle Required -Yes 7.6 Miles Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Telephone Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3A III

Time Required - 9 to 11hours
Distance -  9.6 miles Total, 0.8 miles Technical
Rappels -  12 Rappels, Longest Rappel 185 feet.
Elevation Range - 4280 - 6765 Feet
Shuttle Required -No  Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - Yes

Water Canyon - Zion National Park, Utah.  3B III

Time Required - 8 to 11 hours
Distance - 4.3 miles Total, 0.7 miles Technical
Rappels - 9 Rappels, Longest Rappel 170 feet.
Longest rappel may be only 105 feet, IF you decide to drop into the canyon at the
early drop in option rather than go up and over Top Rock to enjoy the upper canyon.
Elevation Range - 5230 - 6520 Feet
Shuttle Required -No Vehicle - Passenger Permit Required - No

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