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Canyoneering Route Description

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

Pictures 6-01-08
Pictures 8-02-09

Pictures from trip 6-01-08 give a better clue of what the canyon is like.

Quick Facts

06-01-08, 6 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 4.4 hours)
08-02-09, 4 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 4.25 hours)
08-30-09, 5 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 5.5 hours)
07-10-11, 4 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 4.5 hours)
09-25-11, 6 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 4.5 hours)

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

See the Canyoneer Trip Report Explanation Notes page for an explanation of how the technical mileage or the gear used list is determined.

Gear Used for Canyon

Rappelling and anchor gear, Ropes and or pull cords for rappels up to 100 feet and 30 feet of 1 inch webbing for sling placement.  Wet suits are needed year round in this canyon.  Obviously the thickness needed depends on the person, time of year, amount of water in the canyon and other factors.  The minimum suggested is a 3 mm full wet suit, 5 mm is more appropriate in moderate weather.

General Comments

Although Pine Creek is often recommended as a beginner canyon, there should be at least one experienced person in the group.  The final rap was about 100 feet (now only about 85 feet after a rock fall in 2009) and is very scenic as it drops into a large pool.  The start of this rap is a little precarious and deserves some attention while setting up on it, which is why there should be at least one person along with some experience.

The technical portion of this canyon, while short, is very worth while in terms of scenic beauty and getting a small taste of various portions of what can be expected in other technical canyons in and around Zion.

Raps 3 and 5 are the ones I recommend taking your time on to soak in the views.  Both raps drop into what looks and feel like a rock chamber.  Rap 3 is more chamber like but not as tall.  Rap 5 is the longest rap and combined with the chamber like feel it is a sight to behold, especially looking down from the start of the rap.

There are two options for the hike out.  The first exit option is to hike out by boulder hopping directly down the wash from the exit of the canyon.  This involves about 0.8 miles of boulder hopping and finding your way around pools.  There are a couple pools along the way that make great swimming holes and are nice to jump in if you are exiting during the hot part of the day.  This first exit option will take you to parking spot pkPineCreekBT1.

The second exit option is to find the use trail on the LDC (south) side of the canyon shortly after the final rappel.  This route will be about 0.7 miles and follows a much easier and faster route.  Portions of the trail are difficult to locate but the majority of it is very well traveled and easy to walk and follow.  This second option will take you to parking spot pkPineCreekBT2.

The two exits go to two different parking spots for the exit vehicle.  You should decide on the exit you want to use ahead of time which will determine your exit vehicle parking spot.

Getting to the Trailhead and Exit Vehicle (Escape Pod) Parking

To get to the Trailhead

The trailhead starts from the parking area by the Canyon Overlook Trail.  To get there drive east on highway 9 (in Zion) about 4.5 road miles east of the turn off for the "Floor of the Valley Road".  Just after passing under the long tunnel you will find a parking area on the right with an out house.  The trail starts from behind the out house.

To leave the Exit Vehicle / Escape Pod

There are two options for exiting Pine Creek so there are two different spots to park at to leave an exit vehicle.  Determine which exit you wish to take before deciding on which parking spot to leave the exit vehicle at.

For exit option one, which is boulder hopping directly down the wash after the final rappel, park at the parking spot pkPineCreekBT1.  To get to parking spot pkPineCreekBT1, start from highway 9 at the junction for the turn off to the "Floor of the Valley Road" (the road with busses only for part of the year).  Drive about 1.8 road miles east on Highway 9.  The highway will make a sharp U-turn to the right, then a sharp U-turn to the left then a second U-turn to the right.  The parking for the exit vehicle is in a large turn out at this second U-turn to the right.  The large parking area is on the right on the inside of the corner.  Leave a vehicle here as the escape pod (pkPineCreekBT1).

For exit option two, which is to use the use trail up on the left (south) side of the canyon shortly after the final rappel, use the directions for exit option 1, then continue up highway 9 another 0.9 miles.  The road will make another sharp U-turn to the left then another sharp U-turn to the right.  The sharp U-turn to the right is where you will leave your exit vehicle in a large parking turn out.  The turn out for parking is on the left side of the road on the outside of the turn.

Maps

Map showing entire route.

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Right Click then select "Save Target As" to save the Hi-Res version.

Map showing mostly the technical section.

Click for High-Res version.
Right Click then select "Save Target As" to save the Hi-Res version.

GPS Waypoint Information

Details

The Approach:
There is no approach for this route. Simply drop into Pine Creek Canyon right next to the bridge by the road.

The Canyon / Technical Section:
The trail starts behind the out houses at the parking area for the Canyon Overview Trail.  It quickly drops down to the bottom of the canyon floor.  After about 600 feet you have passed under the bridge for highway 9 and are at a down climb to the top of rap 1.

Note:
There are about 6 anchors and multiple holes from someone adding anchors in the wall about 20 or 30 feet back from the down climb before rap 1.  These anchors appear to be un-necessary.  I thought I would note they are there to help eliminate confusion.

The down climb to rap 1 has a spot to stand part way down on the left.  From there you can stem down to the bottom of the pothole.  If water levels are high this will be a swimmer for a few feet.  On the other end of the pothole is rap 1.

Rap 1 is anchored high up RDC from 2 bolt and hangers with webbing attached.   Rap 1 is a 2 stage rap with the first stage at about 30 feet to a pool below and the second stage about 20 feet to a larger pool below.  Be careful with the crack running along the area between the first and second stage of this rap.  It was just the right size to hold our 9mm rope and hinder the rappel.  Some had difficulty getting the rope to cooperate in this section.  I can see the rope possibly getting stuck there if you do not keep a watchful eye on it.  The pool below rap 1 can be a swimmer in high water conditions as well.

Rap 2 is about 150 feet from rap 1.  Rap 2 is anchored by webbing from a log jam and drops about 15 feet into a shallow pool below.  

Rap 3 is immediately after rap 2.  Rap 3 is anchored LDC by one bolt and hanger and one glue-in style anchor.  R3 starts down a gentle slope for about 5 feet then drops off to a vertical rap of about 45 feet to a pool below.  This is a rap you want to take a little time on.  Not because it is difficult but because it is a very scenic rap.  You rap into what appears to be a large rock chamber with an exit at the bottom.  The pool will be a swimmer if the water levels are high.  This rap looks as cool from the bottom as it does from the top.  To exit the chamber you need to cross the pool to the exit.  Just before reaching the other side of the pool, it becomes a swimmer even in low water conditions.  With the pool full of water it is an easy climb out to continue the canyon.  This chamber is too dark to easily get good photos of it unless the sun is in just the right spot.

Very little if any sunlight reaches inside this chamber to warm it up.  The chamber at this pool was cold enough (mid day in June) to see your breath in the air.  This is one area of the canyon where you will be happy you brought along the wetsuit.

Below rap 3 the canyon stays tight and scenic.  About 500 feet later are a couple down climbs one right after the other.  Both are usually have webbing tied to logs to assist.  The first one is about 8 feet down to a sandy floor.  The second down climb is about 6 feet and drops into a pool between the narrow walls.  The pool is about waist deep at its deepest part and is 30 or 40 feet long.  Further down canyon is a huge boulder that had fallen and wedged between the walls.  It is about 25 feet from the canyon floor and absolutely dwarfs people in size as they walk under it.  About 600 feet after the down climbs, the canyon opens up nice and wide at about 0.3 miles from the bridge.   

Rap 4 is about 200 feet after the canyon widens.  Rap 4 is anchored RDC from 2 bolt and hangers.  From the top of the rap you can hear cars driving in the tunnel above on highway 9.  The sound travels down into the canyon from the ventilation windows for the tunnel.  Rap 4 drops about 45 feet to what looks like it might be a pool if there is a lot of water.   

About 400 feet after rap 4 is a 100 foot drop which is Rap 5.  When you reach the drop, walk to the Left side of the drop up over some boulders.  Look for anchors tucked away down and on the right.  These anchors for Rap 5 are 1 bolt and hanger and 1 glue-in anchor.  To reach the anchors and attach your ropes you need to lean out a bit.  It is a good idea to have someone tie-in to you while reaching for it.  After some of our group went, we used webbing to tie a safety to a rock column that we could clip into while rigging for the rap.  

When starting down Rap 5 you are greeted with a fantastic view.  It is a chamber similar to the one on rap 3 but much bigger but a less enclosed feeling..  There used to be a fantastic pool at the bottom of rap 5, but after the rock fall in 2009 it is full of sand and rock.  This rappel is one you should also take your time on.  It looks great from the top and bottom.  The view on the way down is by far the best so go slow and take it all in!

Note:
Some of the debris from the 2009 rock fall is beginning to wash out.  The height of the rappel is beginning to get more than 85 feet.  Go prepared for a rappel of up to 100 feet since rappel 5 may once again be that big.

Raps 3 and 5 are just as scenic in their own way but the sheer size of the chamber below rap 5 and the height of the rap makes it more impressive. 

The Exit:
There are two options for the exit from Pine Creek.  The first option is to boulder hop about 0.8 miles down the wash to a spot to climb up out of the wash to the parking spot pkPineCreekBT1.  The second option is to use a use trail up on the left (south) side of the canyon starting just down canyon of the last rappel.  I prefer the second option since travel is easier and faster.  The distance savings is about 0.1 miles but I find the use trail preferable to scrambling down the wash over and around boulders.

Option 1:
After rap 5 the canyon opens up wide.  Travel down canyon will require lots of boulder hopping and scrambling.  The canyon starts becoming more and more wet.  About 0.4 miles down canyon of rap 5 are some pools.  You can bypass most of them but if it is warm they will invite you in for a swim.  Some of these pools look good enough to take photos and hang on the wall.  Maybe a lunch stop is in order? 

About 0.8 miles from rap 5 is the trail up to the exit vehicle parking.  There are a few spots that look frequently used as climb outs.  Resist the temptation to take the first few you come across.  These will lead you up to the parking area but are more difficult than the proper trail up.  These alternate routes also travel through an area with signs warning against foot traffic.  The proper route out of the wash looks like a fairly steep trail up the side of the wash but is well worn and traveled so the path is pretty hard packed.  The false climb outs are full of loose soft dirt.  There is a large flat rock next to the proper trail out with some large logs next to it.  The false trails look more like steep scrambles rather than a steep trail. 

After climbing out of the wash you will be right across the street from your car (pkPineCreekBT1), if you took the right trail up.

Option 2:
About 150 feet or so down canyon of the last rappel the canyon starts to widen out and is full of boulder debris to scramble down.  Look for a way to scramble up out of the wash on the left (south) side.  There are multiple ways to get up to the use trail and the first part of the use trail is a bit difficult to find.  This makes it difficult to give a perfect description of how to locate it.  In general look for foot traffic areas and keep going up the left (south) side of the canyon toward the base of the cliff.  You will soon find a well defined use trail to follow.

Follow the use trail along the left side of the canyon.  A few spots will be difficult to see and stay on but for the most part this route is very easy travel and much nicer than the wash below.

About 0.3 miles from the last rappel, the trail will cross over a drainage (wPineCreekRP-3).  When you drop down into the drainage you will need to climb up the other side to continue.  The route up is very steep and you may start to wonder if if up the other side is better than going up or down this drainage.  Climb up the other side up the steep packed dirt and use a series of twisted tree roots to hold onto for assistance.

After climbing up out of the drainage, continue on the trail for about 0.4 miles to the parking spot for the exit option 2 (pkPineCreekBT2).  Before getting to the parking spot you will be able to see it from the trail with a large drainage between.  The trail will skirt around the large drainage as it works over to the car.

GPS Waypoint Information

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