Explore Hidden Slot Canyons When Visiting Zion - Go Canyoneering!
Southwestern Utah is filled with all sorts of ways to adventure, explore and get outside your comfort zone. I have had the opportunity to try out so many great adventure activities available in this desert I call home.
Besides hiking, one of my favorite ways to get outside and enjoy some solitude is by dangling from ropes into beautiful slot canyons......also called canyoneering.
IN THIS BLOG POST
Overview of Canyoneering
A little about my Canyoneering Journey
My favorite canyoneering company
Is canyoneering good for families
When is the best time to go
What to wear
WHAT IS CANYONEERING YOU MIGHT BE THINKING?
It is an incredibly fun adventure you will never forget! Canyoneering simply put is a multi-sport adventure where you explore a canyon or slot canyon.
It is how you navigate the canyon that makes canyoneering so fun and exciting. You can use many techniques to make your way through the canyons: rappelling, zip-lining, sliding on rocks, hiking, squeezing through narrow passages, scrambling, wading thru water, and even swimming in some cases.
You might be thinking that this is an activity only reserved for the most skilled adventurers, but you would be wrong.
Canyoneering is an excellent activity for beginners,
adventure junkies, and everyone in-between.
I'm not going to lie. Canyoneering can be a bit tricky. Hiking along the tight slot canyon floor means figuring out how to get down and over big boulders stacked on the canyon floor. It isn't an easy adventure. You will have to work a little and you might even get a little scrapped up but if you have an amazing guide with you they will help you figure it out.....I promise the effort is worth it!
HIRE A PHOTOGRAPHER IN ZION + SOUTHERN UTAH - CLICK TO LEARN MORE
MY CANYONEERING JOURNEY
The first time I went canyoneering was 5 1/2 years ago. It looked like such a fun way to see secret slot canyons that were not accessible on my own, and I loved that it was a family activity that I could do with my kiddos. After our first canyoneering adventure, I was hooked.
My girls, 4 & 7 at the time, were super apprehensive, and there were tears involved, but it was a great experience, and I loved that it was a safe environment for them to work on pushing past their fears. Our guide Nathan was so terrific with my girls, and we became good friends after that first trip.
Since our first adventure, Nathan and his wife Jillian started their own canyoneering and guiding company, All Ways Adventure, based out of Kanab. I have been lucky enough to join them on many trips in the last few years.....see here and here. We have even partnered up, so you can hire me to follow along and capture your canyoneering adventure with amazing photos! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO
A LITTLE ABOUT ALL WAYS ADVENTURE
All Ways Adventure specializes in taking guests out on privately guided Canyoneering, Off-Roading, Hiking, Rock Climbing, and Family Adventures. They have access to hundreds of slot canyons, hiking trails, and off-roading trails. Each excursion is unique and custom-tailored to meet the group’s desire for adventure, fitness level, experience, and abilities. They believe everyone should experience the wonder that makes Southern Utah so magical.
They are just a short drive from Zion National Park, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase, Grand Canyon, and Lake Powell. They can pick you up from your accommodations in Kanab or meet you at a convenient location if you are coming from Springdale, Virgin, Hurricane, St George, Page, and more!
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WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GO CANYONEERING?
Canyoneering is a year-round activity. I have been canyoneering in all four seasons and have loved each experience. The snow can make for some slippery situations in the winter but seeing the red canyons highlighted by sparkly white snow is magical and totally worth it. There was also that time I canyoneered off a giant frozen waterfall. Check it out here.
Canyoneering in the summer involves some hiking in the heat of the day, but the slot canyons are always nice and cool and the perfect reprieve from the intense summer sun.
If I had to pick a favorite season to go canyoneering, it would be the fall and spring. The weather is a little cooler for hiking but not so cold that you need a big coat....maybe a light jacket.
IS CANYONEERING A GOOD ACTIVITY FOR FAMILIES?
It sure is!!! I have taken my kid's canyoneering and rappelling with Nathan quite a few times, and believe me when I say my kids are not the most adventurous...haha. I have also had the opportunity to go canyoneering with many families besides my own and we always have fun and learn so much!
All Ways Adventure has access to canyons that suit all ages, fitness levels, abilities, and desires for adventure. Nathan and his team are so great with kids, and they know exactly how to make sure that everyone has a great time, even if they are a little nervous about dangling from a rope.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?
All Ways Adventure has all the gear for your canyoneering adventure. All you need to bring is plenty of water, snacks, a sack lunch and sunscreen.
WHAT DO WE WEAR?
Good hiking boots are a must with good traction. For clothing, it depends on the time of year. In the summer, shorts and a tee-shirt work fine. All Ways Adventure recommends wearing pants because you will go sliding on rocks and are in harnesses all day. If you want to wear shorts, make sure they go down to your knees (no short shorts). Bring a jacket or sweatshirt with you. It can get cold in the canyon.
In the winter, you will wear coats and gloves plus all the necessary clothing to keep you warm. The canyons can get very chilly.
So have I convinced you to book a canyoneering adventure with All Ways Adventure? I think everyone should experience what it's like to drop into a stunning red rock slot canyon in the desert. It is an unforgettable experience.
Happy Adventuring,
Arika
