Hiking Wire Pass Trailhead Into The Awesome Buckskin Gulch Slot Canyon

Back in December 2021 we hiked the first few miles into Buckskin Gulch from Wire Pass Trailhead. It was a unique and thrilling experience, and we highly recommend you allow a few hours to do the same when you visit southern Utah. Seriously, how often do you get to walk through one of the longest slot canyons in the world?

In this guide we show you exactly how to day hike the lower portion of Buckskin Gulch Trail from Wire Pass, based on our own experience.

Our Experience

During our second Utah road trip we decided to spend 3 full days in Kanab because we wanted to hike The Wave. It was back when you turned up at the gym in Kanab to apply for a next day permit in a lottery, and we got lucky on our first try. So we filled our other days with natural attractions nearby, and we decided to leave Buckskin Gulch for the day we left Kanab and drove across to Page, AZ because it’s on the way.

We’d already driven to Wire Pass Trailhead for The Wave, so we knew what to expect from the notorious dirt roads. After signing in and displaying our day use pass, we set off along the dry river bed for Buckskin Gulch. And it was awesome. We absolutely loved walking through the narrow slot canyon for a few hours. It was like nothing we’d done before and we saw very few others, so it was well worth the effort. Read more about us.

READ: 10 things you can’t miss near Kanab UT

What Is Buckskin Gulch?

Before we get started, we want to quickly explain what you’ll getting yourself into. At more than 40 miles in length, Buckskin Gulch is the longest and deepest continuous slot canyon in the United States, and it’s also considered to be one of the longest in the world. But there are many different ways you can hike Buckskin Gulch, including by beginning at Wire Pass and only walking through the first few miles of the lower canyon, which we’ll cover in this guide.

Some sections of lower Buckskin Gulch are barely 10 feet wide with flanking walls so tall you can barely see the top. And once inside, you’ll have to navigate stones, boulders and even wooden ladders to continue making progress. We enjoyed every minute but it definitely had an eerie feel, and it put our senses into overdrive. Next time we’d love to multi-day hike the entire route from Wire Pass to Lee’s Ferry because it looks even more amazing in the middle section, which is called Paria Canyon.

Two important things to note here:

1. Buckskin Gulch isn’t suitable if you have a fear of tight spaces.
2. You shouldn’t go in after rainfall because it might flash flood.

Wire Pass Trailhead

It’s important to know that there are several different trailheads and entrances to Buckskin Gulch slot canyon for both day hiking and multi-day hiking, which we’ll briefly cover below. But the easiest and most popular way to get a taste for Buckskin Gulch is to day hike the lower potion from Wire Pass Trailhead. It’s the exact same trailhead you’d use to hike The Wave, and it’s the one we’ll show you in our walkthrough later in the guide.

Wire Pass Trailhead is located along House Rock Valley Road in southern Utah, just 1.5 miles north of the Arizona border. It’s a large dirt and gravel parking area with restrooms, information boards and wilderness sign-in registers. We didn’t count exactly, but we’d say around 40-50 cars can fit in the parking area.

Here’s how to reach Wire Pass Trailhead from Kanab and Page:

• Kanab – Follow US-89 south for 39 miles, turn right onto The Cockscomb for 4.5 miles and continue on House Rock Valley Road for 3.5 miles. It’s a total of 47 miles and it took us almost exactly 1 hour to drive.
• Page – Turn left onto S Lake Powell Blvd for 1.5 miles and continue straight on US-89 for 35 miles. Turn left onto The Cockscomb for 4.5 miles and then continue onto House Rock Valley Road for 3.5 miles. It’s a total of 44 miles and it takes around 1 hour to drive. Keep in mind you’ll cross into a different time zone when coming from Page AZ at certain times of year.

Alternative Trailheads

Let’s take a quick look at the alternative trailheads for Buckskin Gulch, so you know your options and so you know why we think Wire Pass is your best bet:

Buckskin Trailhead – Also located on House Rock Valley Road, but requires an additional 3 miles hiking each way to access the main slot canyon. So it’s not a good option if you’re short on time.

Middle Trail Entrance-Exit Trailhead – Enters Buckskin Gulch around 4 miles into the slot canyon from Wire Pass, but is also known as Middle-Out Escape Route because it’s the only way out of lower Buckskin Gulch during a flash flood. This route is very difficult with steep drops and rock scrambling, so best to avoid this one.

White House Trailhead – Enters Buckskin Gulch around 1/3 through the full 40+ mile hike in Paria Canyon. There’s a campground at the trailhead, so you could stay over and then spend the next full day or two hiking to Lee’s Ferry or back to Wire Pass.

Lee’s Ferry Trailhead – Located near Page AZ, this is the opposite end of Buckskin Gulch to Wire Pass. Only use this trailhead if you want to multi-day hike to either Wire Pass or White House with 2 nights camping inside the canyons.

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House Rock Valley Road

In order to reach Wire Pass Trailhead, you have no choice but to drive a grueling 8 mile section on a dirt and clay road called House Rock Valley Road. In dry conditions, House Rock Valley Road is passable but there are lots of annoying potholes, loose gravel and dust. It’s slow going, but our SUV handled the dirt road easily enough. We’ve been on much worse roads to hikes in the US!

Now for the important part. In wet conditions, House Rock Valley Road may become completely impassable because the clay turns into a deep sludge very quickly. We’ve read and heard stories about people winning permits for The Wave or going to hike Buckskin Gulch and not being able to because House Rock Valley Road was like a sludgy swimming pool. Unfortunately, this all comes down to luck. If the road is dangerous, don’t try to drive to Wire Pass.

Buckskin Gulch Permits

Permits are required to hike Buckskin Gulch slot canyon. You must obtain either a day pass permit or a Paria Canyon overnight permit before you hike into the slot canyon. For the purposes of this guide and your short day hike from Wire Pass, you only need to be concerned about getting a day pass permit, which costs $6 per person and $6 per dog. You cannot use your America the Beautiful Pass or any other type of pass or discount.

We recommend you buy a day pass permit online using the link above before you arrive at Wire Pass. It will save time and negate the risk of not being able to get an internet connection to use the on-site QR code. If you manage to get service and use the QR code, you’ll receive a PASS ID which must be written on a trailhead fee envelope and displayed on your dashboard. Don’t forget to sign the wilderness register at the trailhead before entering and after leaving the canyon.

Note: Rangers are often on the trails checking permits so it’s not worth trying to get away without one. You could end up with a hefty fine or even jail time.

Buckskin Gulch Hiking Statistics

• Distance: 5-6 miles
• Elevation Gain: 600ft
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Time: 3-4 hours
• Dogs: Allowed, leashed, permit
• Season: Spring, fall, winter
• Comments: AllTrails

Remember, Buckskin Gulch Trail is over 40 miles in length from Wire Pass to Lee’s Ferry, but we’re only going to cover the first few miles hiking into the slot canyon from Wire Pass in this guide. In total, we hiked for around 5-6 miles roundtrip which included getting to and from the main slot canyon from Wire Pass.

What we love about this hike is that you can go as far as you feel comfortable, before turning around and going back the exact same way. It feels so adventurous on the way in, but then on the way back you can relax because the fear of the unknown is removed from your thinking. Don’t worry too much about how far you need to go, worry more about enjoying the hike and taking photos!

Buckskin Gulch Via Wire Pass Trail Walkthrough

Okay let’s walk step-by-step through our hike into Buckskin Gulch from Wire Pass, so you know exactly what to expect when you arrive.

1. Wire Pass Trailhead

After parking, displaying our pass, signing in and using the restrooms at Wire Pass Trailhead, we began the hike by following Coyote Wash. It was an easy walk along a dry river bed with no elevation gain. We passed by the small sand trail leading off to the right side after half a mile because that goes to North Coyote Buttes and The Wave, and we took that a few days earlier.

2. Wire Pass Slot Canyon

After slaloming through the dry river bed for another 0.8 miles we reached Wire Pass slot canyon, which was beautiful but merely a taste of what was to come. The canyon floor was sandy and rocky, and parts of the trail became very narrow. Eventually we climbed down a 15-foot ladder and climbed over a huge tree branch which was wedged firmly between canyon walls.

3. Alcove And Petroglyphs

The narrow walls of Wire Pass began to open wider and wider, and before we knew it we were standing in a huge open expanse. To the right was a gigantic natural alcove shaped like an arch built into an enormous canyon wall. And at the end of this expanse we reached a T-junction, which marked the crossroads for Buckskin Trail and Wire Pass Trail. We took a right turn at the T to enter Buckskin Gulch, but moments before turning we noticed some faded petroglyphs on the canyon wall near the alcove.

4. Buckskin Gulch Slot Canyon

Around 1.5 miles after entering Coyote Wash, we finally entered Buckskin Gulch slot canyon. It was so much fun walking through the narrow canyon, climbing small ladders, dodging boulders and taking lots of photos. We went maybe another mile and half into the canyon before turning around and returning to Wire Pass Trailhead. In all that time we passed by fewer than 10 other hikers, which was great.

READ: 50 amazing USA hikes

Best Time To Hike Buckskin Gulch

We hiked Buckskin Gulch in very light layers on a weekday in December. The temperature was perfect for hiking and we only saw a handful of other people because it was the off season for tourism in southern Utah. But Buckskin Gulch isn’t a typically crowded hike anyway, so as long you visit in spring, fall or winter on a weekday, you should have a clear run through the slot canyon.

The risk of flash flooding inside Buckskin Gulch and House Rock Valley Road being impassible increases during the American southwest monsoon season, which typically runs from mid-July to mid-September. Do not hike into Buckskin Gulch slot canyon if rain is forecast. There are very few places you can exit if the canyon begins to flood, which is why it has been listed as one of the most dangerous hikes in America.

Important Tips

Buckskin Gulch is a fantastic hike, but there are a few safety precautions and tips to ensure you stay safe:

• Watch your daylight hours if you set off after noon.
• Let someone know if you plan to hike alone.
• Take essential safety gear in case of an accident.
• Be aware that you might encounter stagnant pools of water.
• Sign in and out of the hike so rescue team know where you are.
• Carry more water and snacks than usual in case of emergency.
• Check the weather forecast to avoid rain and floods.
• Carry out everything you take in.

The Morgan Conclusion

What we liked: Buckskin Gulch offered us a unique opportunity to walk through a dramatic slot canyon and it turned out to be even more enjoyable than we expected. We loved that it was crowd-free, the topography was striking and we had no issues with weather or safety.

What we didn’t like: There’s not much to dislike with this hike. We know the road can close in bad weather which would be very frustrating and there’s a chance of flash flooding which could be dangerous. But otherwise, it’s a great experience and our only disappointment is that we didn’t have enough time to hike further into Paria Canyon.

Is Buckskin Gulch worth hiking? Yes, Buckskin Gulch is definitely worth hiking when you visit southern Utah. It’s a fun, unique and adventurous hike through a striking slot canyon, and it’s every bit as cool as it sounds.

More From Kanab

• How to hike The Wave
• Visiting Belly of the Dragon
• How to hike Kanab Dinosaur Tracks
• Visiting Coral Pink Sand Dunes
• How to hike Toadstool Hoodoos
• Visiting Moqui Cave Museum
• Hike to Moqui Cave Sand Caverns

Want more Utah content? Head over to our Utah Travel Guides to explore the Mighty Five National Parks and beyond.

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We hope this guide to Buckskin Gulch helps with planning your visit to southern Utah!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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