Category: slot canyons

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Hiking Valley of Fire, Nevada

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles.

No A.I. was used in this post.

Less than an hour from Vegas is incredibly gorgeous Valley of Fire State Park.

We stopped by the new (and under construction) visitor centre

Ranger recommended Fire Wave and Seven Wonders Loop.

  • 3.1km
  • 57m elevation gain

We could decide whether or not to add the White Domes trail when we got to the turn-off.

From the parking lot, we had to decide which direction to hike. The signage is minimal in this park, for good and bad.

Most people seemed to be going clockwise (looking from the top) so we joined them.

It’s ALL good. Endless impressive desert vistas.

Temperatures moderate in early January. Winter is an ideal time to hike the Nevada deserts. This trail was busy with tourists.

(Note that I try not to post photos & videos of people without their permission.)

Slot canyons are almost always dry. But over Christmas / New Years 2025, this area had rains for several days. We had water in some of the canyons.

… Somehow we missed the turnoff to White Domes. Oops.

Next drove to Petroglyph Canyon via Mouse’s Tank Trail.

Here’s the Mouse’s Tank.

Finally we stopped at Atlatl Rock Viewpoint for lunch.

Stairs take you up close to some of the best petroglyphs in the park.

How did they get up there 40,000 years ago?

On the way out, we saw a large herd of Bighorn Sheep.  They seemed entirely nonplussed by tourists. 

We’re already planning future trips. The campgrounds here are excellent.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Buckskin Gulch / Paria Canyon, Utah & Arizona

Widely considered the best slot canyon hike in the world!

Michael Lanza wrote-up a terrific trip report:

Before long, the walls stand barely more than shoulder-width apart and perhaps a hundred feet tall and the light at the bottom of this slot canyon grows dim.

We downclimb a sturdy wooden ladder installed for getting over a pour-off that drops several feet.

Little or no direct sunlight reaches us now, only the reflected light hitting the tops of these walls and seeping downward. In rare places where the twisting canyon aligns with the sun, the sudden direct sunlight feels intensely hot, especially in contrast to the pleasant coolness of the deep shade filling most of this slot.

The Big Outside – NOT A DULL MOMENT: BACKPACKING BUCKSKIN GULCH AND PARIA CANYON

Click through for more amazing photos.


related – Clever Hiker – Buckskin Gulch / Paria Canyon, Utah and Arizona

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TOP 10 day hikes ➙  Zion Narrows, Utah USA

One of our top 10 day hikes in the world.

Why?

Best slot canyon hike in the world.

  • in Utah’s Zion National Park
  • 16 miles (25 km) from Chamberlain’s Ranch to Temple of Sinawava in the Park
  • June through October best months
  • usually closed from mid-March to mid-May due to spring snowmelt and runoff
  • in places chasm up to 1,968 ft deep and 20 ft wide
  • about a 1500 ft descent
  • walk in water up to half the time
  • 9 – 13 hours. Confirm the time of the last shuttle out of the park!
  • a long, tiring day or you can camp overnight. Be aware that there are only 12 campsites available and they book quickly. Start as early as possible if you are doing it in a day.
  • Permit is required

World → North America → S.W. USA  → Utah → Zion Narrows

Water walking shoes recommended.

For details click over to our Zion Narrows information page.

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5 Great DAY HIKES in Morocco

Markus Rosehill picked 5 different kinds of hiking environments in Morocco.

00:00 Intro

00:35 Best Coastal Hike

05:12 Best Summit Hike

13:31 Best Oasis Hike

20:14 Best Sahara Hike

24:43 Best Gorge Hike

Note. The video incorrectly mentions that Mt. Toubkal 4,167 m (13,671 ft) requires a guide. Not so. You can easily do it independently though it’s longer than an easy day hike. And altitude sickness is a big risk.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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#2 day hike – Zion Narrows, Utah USA

One of our top 10 day hikes in the world.

Why?

Best slot canyon hike in the world.

  • in Utah’s Zion National Park
  • 16 miles (25 km) from Chamberlain’s Ranch to Temple of Sinawava in the Park
  • June through October best months
  • usually closed from mid-March to mid-May due to spring snowmelt and runoff
  • in places chasm up to 1,968 ft deep and 20 ft wide
  • about a 1500 ft descent
  • walk in water up to half the time
  • 9 – 13 hours. Confirm the time of the last shuttle out of the park!
  • a long, tiring day or you can camp overnight. Be aware that there are only 12 campsites available and they book quickly. Start as early as possible if you are doing it in a day.
  • Permit is required

World → North America → S.W. USA  → Utah → Zion Narrows

Water walking shoes recommended.

For details click over to our Zion Narrows information page.

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Partnach Gorge, Bavaria

Trip report by BestHike editor Rick McCharles

Like nearby Höllental Gorge, this walk through a narrow canyon is wet, dark, and cool.

A nice escape on a hot summer day in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

You should probably bring a raincoat.

.

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

It’s popular. Narrow. And crowded.

Best go early or late in the day.

Easy access from near to the 1936 Olympic ski ramp in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

There’s a small fee to enter the gorge. Well worth it.

I was surprised at the challenging uphill climb going into and out of tunnels.

In fact, I was worried for some of the elderly tourists and small children. The footing is rough.

I was tempted to backtrack through the gorge as it is amazing — but instead returned to the start on a trail up above the gorge.

Again, it was surprisingly challenging.

There were warning signs, including one stating a bridge was closed. I crossed it anyway, as did everyone.

Luckily, you don’t need to read German as the signs were translated. 😀

Don’t miss Partnach and Höllental gorge walks if you get to Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

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Höllental Gorge, Bavaria

Höllentalklamm (Valley of Hell Gorge) is a wild, narrow gorge located near the village of Grainau, at the foot of Zugspitze in Upper Bavaria, Germany. …

Most visitors hike to Höllentalklamm gorge from the Hammersbach hamlet in Grainau, close to Garmisch-Partenkirchen. This is the fastest and most direct route (1 hour to the gorge entrance).

However, a far more dazzling approach begins at the Kreuzeck cable car mountain station.

This moderate circuit hike is mostly downhill, which is a perfect option for hot summer days and acclimatization. …

Moon and Honey Travel

Click PLAY or get a glimpse on YouTube.

Knowing the tunnels would be wet and crowded, I opted to go late in the day. And hiked only the gorge. In both directions.

Very cool.

Also, literally cool. Air conditioning and water spray on a hot day.

I was happy to have brought a light rain jacket.

On the down side, it was very dark in the gorge by the time I got there.

BestHike editor Rick McCharles
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Day-hiking Zion National Park, Utah

Zion Narrows is one of our TOP 10 day hikes in the world.

Sadly it was closed due to high water when World Wide Hearts were there — but here’s everything else you should do in Zion.

Including Angel’s Landing.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

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Johnston Canyon, Banff Park, Canada in Winter ☃️

Johnston Canyon is a MUST SEE attraction for visitors to Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies.

On a summer day it is packed. Narrow trails with far too many people.

Recommended is to do the hike very early or late in the day. Avoid the crowds.

OR do Johnston Canyon in the winter with some kind of ice traction or micro spikes for your shoes. The access road is closed each winter, further reducing the traffic.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I took the bus from Banff ($10 return) end of April 2023. Too late, in my opinion.

I still needed my YakTrax. But it was far too crowded.

The highlight for me were the catwalks between narrow canyon walls.

Seeing the frozen waterfalls up close is cool — but they were looking quite dirty end of April. These will be gone in a week or two.

A minority of hikers carry on up to the “Ink Pots“, mineral springs that differ in colour because each pool fills at a different rate.

Distance: 5.7 km (3.5 miles) one way

Elevation gain: 330 m or 1,083 feet

Time needed: 2.5 – 4 hours to do the return hike

Difficulty: Easy

Read more on Hike Bike Travel – Ink Pots hike via Johnston Canyon