What say you? In southern Utah or northern AZ and not sure what to do? You must not be looking deep enough — deep into the earth, that is. Many tourists come into the area with a linear focus on Antelope Canyon, and they ignore other great places, such as Buckskin Gulch.
Antelope is privately owned by a Navajo family, within the Navajo Nation, and beautiful, nonetheless. As seen on Instagram, it is stunning. How could you not be in awe of such an incredible display of nature? What if I told you there’s another area close to Antelope Canyon that’s just as magnificent; even better, it’s Antelope Canyon on steroids? And… And… It’s much cheaper than Antelope.
Don’t get me wrong: Antelope is stunning and well worth the tour if you can afford it or make it with or without a reservation. Wouldn’t you rather or in addition to explore the longest slot canyon in the US, possibly the world? I have and will go back many more times to get my fix exploring this extremely amazing natural environment.
Do you want the juice? Are you ready for the juice? LOL Here’s the juice… BUCKSKIN GULCH is the longest slot canyon in the United States and possibly the world. It’s around 40 miles west of Antelope Canyon. Yes, lovely adventure seekers! Antelope Canyon is not the only slot canyon in the southwest. I bet you didn’t know there are well over 1,000 slot canyons below interstate 70 in Utah and quite a few more in northern Arizona. Unfortunately, most of the slot canyons require canyoneering skills, while some are not really worth the time and effort to explore. And many are privately owned by the Navajo Nation.
IN ADDITION TO…
Buckskin Gulch is a slot canyon I have wanted to explore since 2017. Here at Liberty Vacation Rentals, we host guests from around the world quite frequently. Once, we hosted twin sisters. They were super excited to hike this slot canyon and couldn’t wait to begin their journey. I was excited for them, until I read the details regarding this adventure. It so happens these ladies were going to hike the longest slot canyon in the US and most likely the longest one in the world. It’s located just under 30 miles from our AirBnB in southern Utah; 18 miles on the highway and then a few more, down road of gravel and dirt. The name BUCKSKIN GULCH comes from the color of deer hide. It’s also called Kaibab Canyon which makes more sense to me. Kaibab means “the mountain lying down.” It’s a terrific alternative to Antelope Canyon or Waterhole Canyon, or Secret Canyon, or Cardiac Canyon, or Rattlesnake Canyon. (Did you know there were so many?) Sometimes, these other canyons have sold out of space, and have long waiting lines. Think of Buckskin Gulch as another great hike, in addition to these slot canyon major attractions. It is a definite photo op for tourists and explorers, when they come to visit the area.
GETTING THERE…
From Highway 89, it’s less than ten miles down a road built for ranchers back in the day. Sometimes flash floods and weather will wash away portions of the road but the highway officials will fill it in with more gravel eventually. Any car will make the trek on a normal day if you take it slow and steady. Although during the winter months of snow or rain, only a four-wheel drive will make it down House Rock Valley Road to the parking area at the end. Here, you can access The Wave (permit required), Wire Pass, and Buckskin Gulch. There are actually a few different parking areas. We found the one shared with The Wave is the best location to start the hike into Buckskin Gulch.
At the parking area, grab a day use permit from the kiosk, deposit money, and fill in the form as instructed. Hike across the gravel road to start the trailhead for WirePass. Continue onto the Wire Pass trail. You will be heading back north close to the road. Protect yourself in the first mile because of the extreme sun exposure. It will curve to the right and head east. In the middle of WirePass trail you will come to a rock jammed in the narrow slot canyon. Just over the rock is a lower level. The rock adds at least two feet onto the level and you must pass over this rock to go further into the canyon. The second level is around six feet down. So it’s around eight feet you must climb down and back up when leaving. There is an alternative to WirePass to get to BUCKSKIN GULCH, but it’s worth the effort to move forward in this direction. This “rock jam” is the only obstacle for this pass. Be cautious using the rope provided around the rock. It’s not stable and you could fall off. Be careful.
On with the trail. The next part of the hike will enter a confluence for WirePass and Buckskin Gulch. This is where you will hike north or south. We headed north and it was pretty spectacular. The gulch is much wider and the canyon walls vary in height. The extent of the canyon continues east for 40 some odd miles to Marble Canyon and Lee’s Ferry. There are several trails through the passes although I would suggest a day hike in and out of the canyon. Stay hydrated and aware of the weather, especially any flash flood warnings, during and after rainfall. Take provisions. The only bathrooms are located at the trailhead. Don’t get caught up in sneaking into “The Wave”. It’s a hefty fine and possible jail time. Not worth the time and effort to see a landmark. Especially if you know where to look, you can see similar “waves” within other places all around the area.
So… that’s the juice. Are you pumped to see Buckskin Gulch? I am definitely pumped to go back and to tell others. Antelope is amazing but you will be pleasantly surprised with this canyon. It’s cheaper and so much more to see. I would advise using AllTrails app to help you navigate this hike and so many others in the area. If you are staying with us in our AirBnB, we have so many places we can fill you in to explore more on your adventure and journey into nature and the WildWest.
Antelope Canyon on Steroids – Side effects:
Positive: A spectacular performance of nature.
Negative: Watch for flash floods and heat exhaustion.