Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch

Dogs Leashed

The trailhead starts at a parking lot about seven miles down a dirt road off Route 87 (that also services the Wave which requires a permit) and follows a pretty obvious sandy trail. The trail is pretty uneventful for about a mile, and then you'll start to see a canyon appear.

When you get to the canyon you'll know, as there is a dramatic entrance. Inside the slot canyon the experience is awe inspiring as the 100-200 foot walls narrow to about a foot in one short (3-5 foot) section of the canyon. The footing is fairly good and mostly sandy which makes for easy running, but there are some rocks. At about the 1.3-mile point there is a section that you'll need to down climb about 7-8 feet on a bunch of driftwood; be very careful here as the wood can shift underfoot.

Conditions of the trail can change due to flash floods leaving debris and affecting the down climb section. The slot canyon is often done as an out-and-back in and of itself but is also a nicer way to access Buckskin Gulch.

Always check with the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) in Kanab or online before embarking this run...and ask what the flash flood rating for the Wire Pass is.