Slot Gorge
FACILITIES & AMENITIES
Camping: The campground has 22 sites, each with a table, grill and shade ramada. Electric hookups are also available. Sites cannot be reserved. Water and flush restrooms with showers are open year-around. Facilities adjacent to the campground offer large shade ramadas, grills, picnic tables and water. There are two handicapped-accessible campsites at the group area that also have a restroom with flush toilets and showers. Camping is limited to 14 days in a 30-day period.
A slot canyon is a narrow gorge with smooth walls, box canyons are open on only one side, while submarine canyons are formed due to landslides and turbidity currents, rather than weathering or erosion. Slot canyons are subject to flash flooding and commonly contain unique ecological communities that are distinct from the adjacent, drier uplands. Some slot canyons can measure less than 1 metre (3 ft) across at the top but drop more than 30 metres (100 ft) to the floor of the canyon.
We were caught in a flash flood in one of Utah's most famous slot canyons. Unlike many of the Escalante-area slot canyons, Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Gulch require zero technical gear or know-how—although it requires some navigational and rock-scrambling skill. Peek-A-Boo is a slot and corkscrew, and Spooky Gulch is a narrow slot canyon.
Group Area: Accommodations for day and overnight groups are available by reservation.
Picnicking/Day Use: The day use picnic area has a large shade ramada with picnic tables.
Hiking: The remote portions of the park are accessible via a four-mile loop trail. Another one-mile trail connects the Miller Point overlook to the picnic area.
Regional Visitor Center: The visitor center is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. It is located at the park entrance off U.S. 93. The visitor center is closed holidays during the winter.
Programs: Information about program scheduling may be obtained from either park staff or kiosks. Upon request, special presentations can be arranged for groups.
Hours: Open seven days a week, 365 days a year.
FIELD NOTES
- Practice Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly principles.
- Stay on trails.
- Drive only on designated roadways. Vehicles must be licensed.
- Pets are welcome, but they must be kept on a leash of not more than six feet in length.
- Removing, disturbing or damaging any historic structure, artifact, rock, plant life, fossil or other feature is prohibited. State and federal laws protect this area and its resources.
- Camp only in designated sites.
- Light fires only in the fire rings and grills provided.
- Quiet hours are 10 p.m. - 7 a.m.
- Fees are charged for park entrance, camping and group use. A fee schedule is posted in the park.
- Visitors are responsible for knowing all park rules and regulations in effect. Detailed rules and regulations are posted at the park or may be obtained from any Park Ranger.
- Those with developmental and/or physical limitations are invited to enjoy all of the recreational activities of Nevada State Parks. If you would like to request additional support or accommodations, please call Nevada State Parks at (775) 684-2770. We continually seek ways to provide recreational opportunities for people of all abilities and welcome any suggestions you may have.
- View a list of frequently asked questions.
NATURAL RESOURCES/CLIMATE
The spires and buff-colored cliffs are the result of geologic processes occurring over tens of millions of years. The beauty enjoyed today had violent beginnings, starting with explosive volcanic activity that, with each eruption, deposited layers of ash hundreds of feet thick. The source of this ash, the Caliente Caldera Complex, lies to the south of Cathedral Gorge. (READ MORE)
HISTORY OF CATHEDRAL GORGE STATE PARK – Established in 1935
Close to 2,000 acres of land that was once home to the Fremont, Anasazi and Southern Paiutes is now a state park preserved for visitors to experience and enjoy. In 1924, Governor James Scrugham set aside the area for preservation. Cathedral Gorge became one of Nevada's first four state parks in 1935. (READ MORE)
If you are visiting Bryce Canyon National Park and would like to experience something different, then we recommend visiting delightful Willis Creek Slot Canyon. When you go, you will see first hand how this small creek created a stunning geologic dreamland.
Hiking Willis Creek Slot Canyon is easy. Of all the slot canyons that we’ve been to in the Southwest (and there have been dozens), this one, by far, gives you the most bang for your buck. It’s easy to get to and, even though it requires driving on a dirt road, a standard automobile should have no problems. And, unlike other slot canyons, you simply walk into it from where you park your car – no ropes, ladders or rock scrambling.
In most slot canyons, photographers are challenged with the high contrast of lighting conditions. This is not the case with Willis Canyon. Although it’s deep and skinny, the narrow sections are not very long allowing ample light to come in. This allows even an amateur to take great pictures.
Getting There
Willis Canyon is located 9 miles south of Cannonville, Utah. To reach Cannonville from Bryce Canyon (at the junction of Hwy 12 and the road into Bryce), drive east 12 miles (19 km) on Hwy 12, through the town of Tropic, to Cannonville (which is located on the right or south of the highway). If you are coming from the town of Escalante in the east, Cannonville is reached by driving west on Hwy 12 for 34 miles (54 km).
Once in the small town of Cannonville, drive a short distance south from Hwy 12 on Main Street and, on the right, stop in at the BLM visitor center. Here you can inquire on the road conditions to Willis Canyon and learn about the other places of interest to visit in this area including Kodachrome Basin and Bull Valley Gorge.
After stopping at the visitor center, continue south on Main Street which turns into the main road to Kodachrome Basin. After about 2.8 miles (4.5 km) from Canonville, turn right onto a well-maintained dirt road which leads off to the southwest. Continue on this road for a little over 6 miles (10 km). At about 5.5 miles (8.8 km), the road will descend into a wide canyon. At the bottom and before crossing the creek, look for a small parking area on the right which also doubles as a small campground. Park your vehicle here.
The Hike
The best part of Willis Creek’s narrows are seen while walking one mile downstream from the parking area. After the first canyon confluence, the canyon becomes bigger and less narrow. Although there are no more narrows after a mile, it’s still very scenic for a few more miles. If you’re only interested in seeing the narrows, it’s an easy two mile, one-way hike.
From the parking area, enter the small creek from the road crossing. Hike down-canyon (east) along the right side of the creek to go around a short waterfall. Soon, you will need to step down into the shallow canyon which is no more than 3-4 feet (1 meter) deep at this point. There’s also a bypass trail that you can use to hike around this obstacle. It is found about 40 feet (20 m) north of where the road crosses the creek.
More…
Pictures
Below are some pictures of what you will see along the way.
- The beginnings of Willis Creek Slot Canyon
- Just like most slot canyons, Willis Creek is beautifully sculptured
- Willis Creek eventually gets very deep and narrow!
- Exiting the deep narrows of Willis Creek Slot Canyon
- More sculptures on the walls of Willis Creek Slot Canyon
- And more beautiful sculpturing
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After you step down to the creek, be sure to walk back upstream for a short distance. You will find a small waterfall that has created small but mesmerizing sculptures in the red sandstone.
Every time we’ve hiked Willis Canyon, there was a small amount of water in the creek. It was not more than a foot or two wide and was easy to step or hop over. Hopefully when you hike the canyon, your feet won’t get wet! Since the drainage of Willis Creek is no more than six miles (10 km) to the west, at the ridge of Bryce Canyon, large amounts of water does not normally accumulate in the canyon unless there has been a recent rainstorm.
Just downstream from the small waterfall and around a bend in the canyon, you will see a small preview of what’s to come. The canyon walls are beautifully sculptured from hundreds of thousands of years of water tumbling against the soft sandstone. Here, the canyon wall is only 10 feet (3 m) tall. The further you hike however, the deeper the canyon gets and the higher the walls become.
First Narrows
After hiking past a few bends in the canyon, you will come upon the first set of narrows. The walls here are about 20-30 feet (6-9 m) tall and the canyon’s width is no more than 10 feet (3 m) – narrow enough to be exciting, wide enough to not be intimidating! These narrows last for several hundred feet and then the canyon suddenly opens up.
These first narrows last for a good distance. The canyon then immediately opens up which brings an ample amount of light into the canyon’s narrows. While walking along the entire canyon, remember to look up at the rock formations and vegetation near the canyon’s rim.
After hiking past another bend or two in the canyon, you will encounter a section where the creek is eroding into a large open slab of sandstone. Here you will witness slot canyon creation in progress. Also at this point, you may need to find a safe path to descend this slab of sandstone.
Second Narrows
Right after this point, the canyon enters the second narrows. It isn’t as narrow as the previous but still contains more stunningly sculptured and colorful walls. The canyon opens up again briefly and then enters the third narrows.
The third narrows are the deepest in the canyon. Claustrophobic people might feel a little uneasy walking through here as it is only 6-8 feet wide and over 100 feet (30 m) deep! For those of us who don’t mind tight places, it is awesome! When walking through the narrows, remember to look up at the amazing rock sculpturing that Mother Nature has done.
Averett Canyon
After exiting the narrowest part of the canyon, you will enter a much wider section of the canyon. Soon, you will reach the confluence of Averett Canyon on the left. If you turn left and hike a small distance up Averett Canyon, a dry water will block any further exploration.
You can now continue down Averett/Willis Canyon for as long as you wish. There are no more narrows to encounter. However, every bend in the canyon presents new dazzling formations etched out in the canyon walls. So while you are looking forward while hiking down the canyon, don’t forget to stop occasionally and look up at the canyon walls.
After about a mile from the confluence of Averett and Willis Creeks, the confluence with Sheep Creek is reached. If you continue hiking down the canyon, you will eventually reach Paria Canyon in about 3.5 miles (5.6 km). Paria Canyon is a major drainage in the area east of Bryce Canyon National Park and is a major tributary of the mighty Colorado River.
When you return to your vehicle, since you’ve made it this far on the dirt road, you may wish to continue south on the road for another mile and a half (3.1 km) to visit Bull Valley Gorge. The road crosses over this very deep and narrow slot canyon. When you get out of your vehicle to take a peek into the canyon, it is very scary indeed! Once you are done looking, turn back towards Willis Canyon to return to Cannonville and Hwy 12.
Trip Map
Make sure to zoom into the area of Willis Canyon to see the detail. Look for the cluster of pins at the bottom of the map.
Slot Canyon Near Flaming Gorge
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