Tunnel Slot Canyon
Zebra Slot Canyon and Tunnel Canyon are two classic and easily accessed canyons of the vast canyons of Grand Staircase-Escalante. In spite of their notoriety, the canyons are still difficult to hike and require careful planning.
Grand-Staircase Escalante is filled with slot canyons. Including Round Valley Draw, Tunnel Canyon, and Zebra Canyon to name a few. It’s like a slot canyon haven. After visiting Buckskin Gulch I’ve become kind of obsessed with slot canyons. While Buckskin was the biggest and Round Valley was the funnest, Zebra Canyon is definitely the prettiest. Slot Canyon is short unless you do Stemming or Chimneying (using your back and feet as braces to move further into the slot. About 3 miles round trip (6.6 if you combine with Tunnel Slot) About 442 feet elevation. Zebra Canyon slot Beautiful Zebra Canyon, a narrow, convoluted slot streaked with pink and white stripes, will delight hikers of all ages. Combine the hike with nearby Tunnel Slot, a long narrow slot, for a great day hike down the Hole in the Rock Road. Zebra and Tunnel Slots is a 6.6 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Escalante, Utah that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips and is best used from March until November. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
After visiting the 'top of Grand Staircase', I briefly visited Bryce Canyon, then made my way to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. I've peaked into this place before but this trip was an all out bash. Staying in Escalante area for 2 days, I made the arduous trek down Hole-in-the-Rock Road and started canyoning.
Zebra and Tunnel Slot Canyon Overviews
Zebra Slot Canyon is likely the most famous in this area. Its striated walls create marvelous photography opportunities. Plus, its only an 8.0 mile drive South on a relatively good section of Hole-in-the-Rock Road from where it leaves UT-12 near Escalante. From there, its about a 2.5 mile (one way) hike across the desert along a herd path to the canyon. Adding Tunnel Slot Canyon from Zebra makes it a 7.1 mile (total distance) hike which most do in about three quarters of a day.
Here's an area map:
Hike to Zebra Slot Canyon
From Utah Route 12 near Escalante, drive to the well marked turnoff for Hole-in-the-Rock Road and set your odometer to Zero. For 8.0 miles, the road is in relatively good quality as of June 2019. There's definitely some tedious washboard sections but nothing that would prevent a normal-clearance car from making it to the trailhead. Whenever it gets wet or muddy, avoid the road in any vehicle. The trailhead is just after a cattle guard and on the right. It is unmarked but most days you'll find at least a few cars at the trailhead. Park on the right if coming from Escalante.
Cross the road to the Northeast side of Hole in the Rock Road and look for a fairly well-trod path. I didn't see any specific signs for the canyon but the trail was easily followed.
I brought a GPS for extra comfort which came in handy. The trail remains unmarked and there's several side trails that are a bit confusing. I redirected a few lost tourists! Nevertheless, I followed the path of least resistance over the desert for 2.0 miles to the large and dry Harris Wash (its obvious). As of June 2019, there was a cairn which marked the junction to Zebra Slot and Tunnel Slot. I took a left at this cairn, followed the herd path into Harris Wash and up the wash for about 1/4th of a mile until I saw the obvious entrance to Zebra Canyon. If you find yourself walking more than 20 minutes up the wash and haven't found the entrance to Zebra Canyon, you've probably gone to far
During this very dry day, I found innumerable footprints leading to the canyon's entrance. Once it slotted up, I dropped my pack as the canyon gets very, very narrow from here.
Into Zebra
Zebra Canyon is the quintessential slot canyon. Its gets so narrow that even a skinny guy like me was just barely getting by. A wide day certainly wouldn't fit. Like many slot canyons, it was waist deep in water even though no major storms had passed the area in several days. The ranger station at Escalante kept me updated on water levels in the canyon.
The canyon lived up to its name with incredibly artistic furrows throughout my slither. Some sections required some scrambling; not difficult by rock-climbing standards but they were enough to make a less inclined person nervous.
Deep in the back of the canyon I encountered a few dead birds which is also normal for slot canyons. Nevertheless, the steep and deep walls continued to amaze.
It took about an hour to get to the entrance and I took another hour exploring Zebra before coming to an impassable section and I turned around. Zebra was a bit busy even on a weekday which made passing other groups tedious. I wished I went earlier.
Entrance of Zebra canyon to entrance of Tunnel Canyon
Tunnel Slot Canyon isn't nearly as photogenic as Zebra Canyon but since its only 1.3 miles away, I made the side trip. Back out on Harris Wash, I followed it down roughly 0.8 miles to a herd path with cairns to Tunnel Slot. This was a hot and exposed section and I'm glad I brought abundant water.
After finding the side trail, Tunnel canyon quickly came into view and I was at the entrance in less than 1 hour after departing from Zebra Canyon.
Tunnel Canyon is shorter, not as narrow but much darker than Zebra. Even in the midday sun, I felt a flashlight was necessary. I walked through the thigh deep water and meandered through this alluring slot. There's some really neat opportunities for low light photography.
Unlike Zebra Canyon's abrupt terminous, Tunnel Canyon is 2-way so I hiked all the way to the exit. I expected there was more when I departed from the exit. There's a four way intersection of other narrow canyons but nothing like a slot so I returned the same way I came.
Return to Trailhead
There's not a lot to say about the return trip other than it was very hot and very hard to follow. Zebra and Tunnel Canyons are easy by hiking and canyoneering standards but make no mistake, its easy to get lost out here even with experience. I found my GPS absolutely essential on the return trip.
Zebra And Tunnel Slot Canyon
I think I found my new favorite place to hike, photograph and explore; The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM). It’s a huge area of land on the Utah and Arizona Border. From my brief adventures to the Devils Garden, Old Paria and Coyote Buttes I have a great admiration for the area and look forward to future trips here. The week I traveled deep into the GSENM to Zebra and Tunnel Slot canyons.
From the parking area (directions below) you head East onto a well traveled trail that takes you about 2 miles in to the edge of Harris wash. From hear it becomes your choice; head up the wash to Zebra Slot, or head down towards Tunnel slot. I chose Zebra first because I was really excited to climb into it, but I was curious to find some Moqui Marbles. Moqui Marbles are these amazing rocks that are like natures M&Ms. The chocolate coating is lava rock and the center is sandstone. I read about them while researching this hike and are supposed to have spiritual qualities.(Zebra Slot, Left)
I made my way slowly up the very sandy Harris Wash and made it to the entrance to Zebra Slot. I was looking forward to hiking deep into the slot canyon, but quickly realized that was out of the question. Zebra Slot was full of water, up to my chest before I decided to back out. I didn’t think to bring a dry bag for camera equipment. I wasn’t expecting water, especially this much. So I stashed my gear and waded back into the slot even further. More water and narrowing of the canyon, deflated I headed towards Tunnel Slot.(Harris Wash, Right)
I hadn’t planned to hike to Tunnel Slot when embarked today but after the Zebra I was fired up. About a mile down the wash I barely spotted a small cairn on the left side of the wash leading me up a side canyon. The canyon floor was soaked with water and I feared the worst ahead. As I reached the entrance to Tunnel Slot I was ready to get wet again. The cool part of Tunnel Slot is that it’s only about 100ft long, so wading into the water was less of a mystery than Zebra was. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak… A really interesting Slot canyon, a very narrow opening at the top and a wide tunnel where flood water flow through. Making my way through Tunnel slot the Canyon started to open back up. Time to head back to the other side of the slot canyon and sat down for a quick snack before hiking the 3 miles back to the car. (Tunnel Slot, Left)
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-Jon
Directions: From Escalante, Utah, take the main road, Highway 12, east through Escalante. The road will head in a southeastern direction. Follow Hwy 12 for five miles, and as the highway makes a left curve, the unpaved Hole in the Rock Road will be on the right side of the road. From here you will head southeast on the unpaved Hole in the Rock Road for approximately 8 miles. Turn right into a small dirt lot, no official trailhead for tunnel or zebra slot canyons, but a well traveled trail can be found a crossed the road to the eat.
Tunnel Slot Canyon
Youtube Video:
Zebra And Tunnel Slot Canyons
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