Backpacking Paria Canyon: Colorful, Visual Surprises and Ancestral Art in Arizona and Utah
Sierra Club Outings Trip | Backpack
Highlights
- Hike the Southwest's premier slot canyon
- Explore Buckskin Gulch & Wrather Arch
- Study ancient petroglyphs & colorful rock formations
Includes
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Expert guidance with leaders experienced in Paria Cyn
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Tasty, hearty lightweight meals
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All required permits
Overview
The Trip
The Paria River Canyon provides an intimate experience of quintessential Colorado Plateau country. Join our team of adventurers as we explore the Paria’s tall red sandstone walls finely sculpted by the ages into fantastic forms and subtle beauty. A week-long backpack trip allows you to immerse yourself in the sublime splendor of the Southwestern desert.
The Paria Canyon Wilderness follows the Paria River from southern Utah for 39 miles to its confluence with the Colorado River at Lee’s Ferry in Arizona. The canyon begins shallow and wide, then narrows and deepens, with its walls rising hundreds of feet over the river. At its narrowest, the Paria River converges with Buckskin Gulch, one of the southwest's most famous and beautiful slot canyons
The Trip
The Paria River Canyon provides an intimate experience of quintessential Colorado Plateau country. Join our team of adventurers as we explore the Paria’s tall red sandstone walls finely sculpted by the ages into fantastic forms and subtle beauty. A week-long backpack trip allows you to immerse yourself in the sublime splendor of the Southwestern desert.
The Paria Canyon Wilderness follows the Paria River from southern Utah for 39 miles to its confluence with the Colorado River at Lee’s Ferry in Arizona. The canyon begins shallow and wide, then narrows and deepens, with its walls rising hundreds of feet over the river. At its narrowest, the Paria River converges with Buckskin Gulch, one of the southwest's most famous and beautiful slot canyons. Toward the end of the trip, the canyon widens again although it remains deep. During our week’s backpack, we will view ancient petroglyphs and stunning geological forms, drink from natural springs that seemingly appear from nowhere, and explore a large natural arch.
Spring is a great time of year for this backpacking journey. The days are warm and the nights are pleasant, and wildflowers are blooming. We will likely encounter many species of birds and other wildlife.
Evidence of human habitation of the Paria Canyon has been found from petroglyphs and camping locations found throughout the Canyon. Archaic period people have hunted here for thousands of years and used the canyon as a travel route. More recently, the Ancestral Puebloan people utilized the wilderness between AD 200 and AD 1200 where they also hunted and grew corn, beans, and squash in the lower end of the canyon. Paiute people later occupied and traveled much of the area before Europeans arrived.
The first documented Europeans in the area were Fathers Francisco Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante of the Domínguez–Escalante expedition. The expedition stopped at the mouth of the Paria River in 1776 after they unsuccessfully attempted to establish a route from Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Monterey, California.
Itinerary
Please note: Because of BLM procedures, the application for the backcountry permit cannot be submitted until January 1. Dates and/or itinerary may have to be changed to obtain a permit. Final dates and itinerary will be verified by early January. Please do not make travel arrangements until trip dates have been confirmed.
This itinerary should be considered approximate as hiking is subject to the conditions of the Paria Canyon. In particular, if water levels are high, we may move more slowly and may even have to stall to allow water levels to recede
Please note: Because of BLM procedures, the application for the backcountry permit cannot be submitted until January 1. Dates and/or itinerary may have to be changed to obtain a permit. Final dates and itinerary will be verified by early January. Please do not make travel arrangements until trip dates have been confirmed.
This itinerary should be considered approximate as hiking is subject to the conditions of the Paria Canyon. In particular, if water levels are high, we may move more slowly and may even have to stall to allow water levels to recede.
On the evening before our trip officially begins, we will meet at 5:00 p.m. (Arizona Mountain Standard time) at Marble Canyon, Arizona. We will discuss the trip, work out shuttling and carpooling to the trailhead, answer questions, and pass out the group commissary bags. Those interested can then have dinner at the lodge. (Lodging and dinner not included.)
Day 1: We will meet at Marble Canyon at 7:00 a.m. We will caravan to set up a vehicle shuttle, leaving some cars at Lee’s Ferry, our exit point, and then carpool in two to three vehicles to the White House trailhead, in Utah, about a 1.5-hour drive.
We will start the day in white layers of Carmel Formation and then quickly descend into the rich reds of Navajo Sandstone. Passing by or under Slide Rock Arch will be one of the many highlights of the day. We will hike about 8 miles today to camp near the confluence of the Paria River and Buckskin Gulch, the narrowest section of the Paria.
Day 2: In the morning we will take a side hike to explore the tall Navajo Sandstone walls of Buckskin Gulch, as far as the Boulder Jam, about 1.5 miles up Buckskin. In the afternoon, we will hike about 4.5 miles down-canyon into Arizona to camp at Big Spring.
Day 3: During our 7-mile backpack today, we continue to follow the tight meanders of the canyon and take time to explore abandoned meanders, a delicate water-formed cave, and remnants from a time when ranchers hoped to graze cattle in the area. We’ll camp near a spring that emerges from a cathedral-like alcove.
Day 4: Today we will cover only about 3 miles of the canyon, but take much of the morning to hike to Wrather Arch, a soaring formation spanning nearly 200 feet and having the claim of being one of the most inaccessible arches in the U.S. After lunch we’ll take a side walk to see a spectacular petroglyph panel, and camp near lush Shower Spring.
Day 5: We will continue downstream about 7 miles today, passing an enormous hanging sand dune spilling into the canyon, and stopping to see several petroglyph panels. The canyon begins to widen and we begin to see new geological layers, the Kayenta, Moenave, and Chinle Formations. In the afternoon, we will start walking well above the river and get a new perspective of Paria Canyon. We’ll camp along this High Water Route.
Day 6: Today we will stop at several petroglyph sites, and see remnants of Wilson Ranch, first homesteaded in 1918. Our hiking day will cover less than 6 miles.
Day 7: We have just 5 miles to backpack to the end of the Paria where it meets with the Colorado River at Lee’s Ferry. In these final miles, we will see the Moenkopi Formation rise, the Paria Canyon widen, and the Echo Cliffs beckon us to our end point. We will probably be out before noon. We can gather for a celebratory lunch at Marble Canyon.
Logistics
Getting There
The trip officially starts at the White House trailhead in Utah and ends at Lee’s Ferry, on the Colorado River in Arizona. Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from the trailheads. The nearest major airports are Las Vegas, Nevada (295 miles) and Phoenix, Arizona (290 miles). There are small regional airports in St. George, Utah, and Page, Arizona, but flights are limited and may be subject to cancellation. Carpooling is encouraged and the leaders will provide participants with a roster so they may contact each other to arrange ride-sharing
Getting There
The trip officially starts at the White House trailhead in Utah and ends at Lee’s Ferry, on the Colorado River in Arizona. Participants are responsible for making their own travel arrangements to and from the trailheads. The nearest major airports are Las Vegas, Nevada (295 miles) and Phoenix, Arizona (290 miles). There are small regional airports in St. George, Utah, and Page, Arizona, but flights are limited and may be subject to cancellation. Carpooling is encouraged and the leaders will provide participants with a roster so they may contact each other to arrange ride-sharing. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.
Accommodations and Food
All meals are included from lunch on the first day of the outing through breakfast on the last day of the outing. Responsibility for cooking and clean-up will be shared by trip participants. Vegetarian-friendly meals are hearty, healthy, and varied. The leaders take particular care to make the weight of the food as light as possible to lessen the loads in our packs. Participants should bring their favorite snacks to supplement between meals. Accommodation and meals the night before the trip officially begins are not included.
Trip Difficulty
This trip is rated as a level 3 on a scale of 1 to 5. Based just on mileage (38 miles plus side hikes) and negligible elevation change (decrease of 1,200 feet in total), one might expect this trip to be rated at a lower level. However, travel down the Paria presents a few challenges. Our trip will generally be in the river bed and therefore not on maintained trails. We'll follow the Paria River, crossing often and frequently hiking in the river itself. The water is seldom more than knee-deep and avoiding quicksand is a skill quickly acquired. Your feet will be wet for most of the trip. Since we hike in the river bed, we will be doing some boulder-hopping and we will be walking in a lot of sand. On optional exploratory hikes, especially the one to Wrather Arch, we will be hiking in side canyons that may be steep and rocky in places.
Depending on recent rains, the river could be deeper and faster than expected. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) manages the area and will close the canyon if flash floods are in progress or imminent. Should this happen, we will adjust our itinerary in a way appropriate for the conditions.
Typical temperatures should be low 80s by day and mid 50s by night, although temperatures actually experienced can always be hotter or colder.
Equipment and Clothing
The Sierra Club provides the cooking gear, food, water purification, and a first-aid kit to be used for emergencies only. You are responsible for everything else that you need. Your personal gear, including pack, should weigh less than 20 pounds. We divvy up the gear and food provided by the Club, which is typically 11 to 12 pounds each at the start of the trip. Your backpack needs to have enough capacity for this extra gear, which will be the size of approximately two one-gallon milk cartons.
The leader will provide a detailed list of gear to each of the participants well in advance of the outing. The list will include those items that are essential, such as backpack, shelter, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, boots, containers to carry water, and your personal medications. The list will also include optional items such as camera and reading material. Footwear is important on this outing and your leaders will provide guidance on suitable options. Lightweight hiking boots with minimal or no leather are a good choice.
References
Maps:
- The "Hiker's Guide to Paria Canyon" brochure and map covers Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch mile-by-mile. It is available from the White House trailhead ranger station or at the BLM's Kanab Office.
- Another reference with good information on the Vermillion Cliffs National Monument can be found at: https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=444
- National Geographic Map 859 – Paria Canyon & Kanab, (1:75,000 scale) also available through Dixie/Arizona Strip Interpretive Association at: https://www.natgeomaps.com/ti-859-paria-canyon-kanab-vermillion-cliffs-national-monument-grand-staircase-escalante-national-monument
- U.S.G.S. 7.5-minute topographical maps. Our route will be along 5 quadrangles: West Clark Bench, Bridger Point (Utah-Arizona), Water Pockets, Wrather Arch, Ferry Swale, and Lee’s Ferry (Arizona).
Books:
- Adkison, Ron, Hiking the Grand Staircase: Escalante and the Glen Canyon Region, 2nd Edition. Updated by JD Tanner and Emily Ressler. Falcon Guides, 2011.
- Kelsey, Michael R., Hiking and Exploring the Paria River, 6th Edition. Kelsey Publishing, 2017. A classic hiking guide to the area.
- Baars, Donald L., The Colorado Plateau: A Geologic History. University of New Mexico Press, 1983.
- Christensen, Don D., Rock Art of the Grand Canyon Region. Sunbelt Publications, 2013.
Websites:
- BLM: https://www.blm.gov/national-conservation-lands/arizona/vermilion-cliffs
- American Southwest: http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/vermilion_cliffs/national_monument.html
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paria_Canyon-Vermilion_Cliffs_Wilderness
Conservation
The 1964 Wilderness Act was created “to secure for the American people of present and future generations the benefits of an enduring resource of wilderness.” The Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area was protected by Congress in 1984 and designated a national monument in 2000. This and many other Southwestern public lands are currently under threat of losing protected status.
As we spend our week seeing firsthand the value of wilderness protection, we will discuss the value of public lands and reasons for protecting land as wilderness. We'll also talk about the efforts by the Sierra Club and many other organizations to safeguard wild lands in Utah and Arizona, the importance of your involvement, and how to relay your concerns about the protection of wilderness and public lands.
During our week in the wilds, we will practice Leave No Trace minimal-impact techniques. We will learn about the special sensitivities of desert environments to human impacts, and take on minor tasks to erase the signs left behind by less knowledgeable campers.
Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under a permit from the Bureau of Land Management, Kanab Field Office.
Staff
Important Notes
- Carbon Offsets
- Carpooling
- Electronic Billing and Forms
- Electronic Devices
- Equipment
- Essential Eligibility Criteria
- How to Apply for a Trip
- Leader Gratuities
- Medical Issues
- Non-discrimination Statement
- Participant Agreement
- Seller of Travel Disclosure
- Single Supplements
- Terms and Conditions
- Travel Insurance
- Trip Feedback
- Trip Price
- Wilderness Manners