Miles: 5.5 miles RT (Wire Pass is a 1.9 mile hike in from the trailhead to the confluence with Buckskin Gulch which goes 4 miles to the north and 12 miles to the south.)
Elevation Loss/Highest: 200ft/4833ft
Favorite Eats After Hike: Pack A Cooler.
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
My hike:
3/28/2018
If you are in the Page or Kanab area and looking for a day hike that you don’t need to win the lottery to enjoy, Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch is one of the most popular. Buckskin Gulch is the longest and deepest slot canyon in the Southwest and runs 16 miles long with 3 entrances and Wire Pass offers the easiest distance in. It is, also, one of the entrances to the famous Wave formation in Coyote Buttes but for that one you do need to win the lottery. Literally.
Our hike started out along an old wash and reminded me of hiking into Havasupai Falls last year. We didn’t have near the wild flowers as that hike, we missed the window unfortunately. The terrain was still interesting with cacti and shrubs surviving in the tiny eroded pockets of the reddish and white rock formations. This was our second hike of the day and the exposure warned us it was going to be a hot one. I was glad we had brought extra water.
The cliff walls rose on either side and there were short moments of reprieve from the sun before we entered the first slot canyon about one mile in to the hike.
The air was cool and refreshing and the sun danced on the colorful sandstone walls.
There was one 8 foot drop in the middle of the slot canyon that was a little tricky to maneuver but over time folks have placed branches and rocks so there were foot and hand holds to help reach the canyon floor from above.
Wire Pass opened up to the junction with Buckskin Gulch and there were a multitude of other hikers taking respite from the sun in the shadows of the sheer cliff walls. There were, also, petroglyphs to run our fingers gently over as I imagine thousands have done before.
Turning right, we ventured over to the slot canyon of Buckskin Gulch to see how far we could make it in that direction. We soon discovered that the canyon floor was flooded and it would be a wet and bitter cold hike to continue. Not ones to be deterred, we made it another 3/4 mile and 17 “ponds” in before retreating from frozen legs and toes. We had hoped that we would find at least one patch of sun but the time of day meant the sun eluded us. We would have to make our way back through the water again to the confluence to warm up. For those who continue, the canyon does open up and eventually meets with the Paria River at the Utah/Arizona border.
It sure was worth it, though, to explore the undulating sandstone walls and have it to ourselves because no one else was brave enough to continue.
I snapped a picture of the 8 foot drop (climb) in Wire Pass on our way back out. It did look as though some hikers were making their way up on the south side of the slot canyon and around, coming down on the cliff walls but I’m not sure that offers a lower level of risk. If I can do it in a hiking skirt and remain decent, that should tell you it is manageable.
Directions: From US 89 between Kanab, Utah, and Page, Arizona, turn south and drive 8.5 miles on House Rock Valley Road, which is wide and graveled. The trailhead is on the right and bathrooms are available. A $6 day use permit is required and available at the trailhead. Be wary of weather conditions that could lead to flash flooding and check in with the ranger station heading out.
For more hikes near here, check out how we did three other hikes this same day!
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