Best Canyoneering in Arizona

Trying to find the best canyoneering in Arizona? Bivy has great hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, skiing, riding and more, with hand-curated trail maps, as well as detailed driving directions.

1

Arizona, Gila County

01 :06 hrs
1.9 mi
134.37366 ft
3

This water-filled gorge is a scenic and popular destination for all types of recreation including hikers, kayakers, and canyoneers. The canyon can be hiked without the use of gear but it requires climbing and bypassing a section of the canyon. Climbing down the entire canyon is not too difficult and only requires some downclimbing, lots of swimming and wading, and two short rappels. The water in the gorge is very cold year-round so a wetsuit and dry bag are needed. Rappelling the canyon requires a 1x150' rope, 25' webbing, rappelling device, harness, couple of rap rings, carabiners, and a helmet. There is a lot of very slick rock in the canyon, as well as debris, so wear good shoes and watch your step.

2

Arizona, Gila County

02 :47 hrs
5.2 mi
235.0658 ft
3

Located north of Roosevelt Lake in the Salome Wilderness Area, this scenic granite slot canyon is a challenging adventure that requires lots of swimming and technical canyoneering skills. The journey down the Jug includes lots of wading, multiple swims, a natural water slide, and a waterfall that can be rappelled down or jumped off of depending on water levels. When water is low there is a glue-in bolt above the falls on canyon right that can be used. When water levels are high another option is to make your way out to a small ledge that leads to another bolt site for rappelling down or a great spot to jump from. The ledge can be very slippery so rigging a safety line may be helpful. Be sure to check for sufficient water levels, possible debris, and any rock ledges that need to be cleared when jumping into the water below. The water can be very cold so wearing a wetsuit is needed, especially during the colder months.

3

Arizona, Coconino County

03 :01 hrs
4.8 mi
448.16626 ft
3

This scenic canyon located in the Mogollon Rim area provides a technically challenging route in a beautiful and remote wilderness setting. The route through the canyon requires multiple rappels over drops and into pools using both human anchors and deadman anchors. Come prepared with 100-foot rope, harnesses, carabiners, 20' webbing, two wrap rings, a descender, and ascending gear. There are multiple pools in the canyon that will require swimming and can become keeper holes when water levels are low requiring partner assist so be sure to set out with at least two other people. The water can be high and very cool in the canyon so come prepared with a wetsuit and dry bag to stay warm and dry.

4

Arizona, Coconino County

08 :01 hrs
6.8 mi
549.50397 ft
3

Located in the Marble Canyon area of the Grand Canyon, this scenic route leads through a narrow canyon down to the Colorado River. A 100-foot rope, harnesses, carabiners, ascending gear, and helmets are required to navigate the canyon safely. There is a large 70-foot drop that is descended by tying a rope around a boulder located in the bowl above the drop. There are a few other drop-offs along the way that can be bypassed on the side. The trip requires good route-finding and rope-ascending skills. There is also one pool that requires a deep wade or possible shallow swim to cross. There is not a designated trail from the road into the canyon but a short walk through the desert and following a drainage will lead into the canyon.

5

Arizona, Coconino County

01 :34 hrs
2.6 mi
205.15198 ft
3

This short canyon, a tributary of West Clear Creek, provides canyoneers of all skill levels with some of the best scenery West Clear Creek has to offer along with a little challenge. Navigating your way through the canyon requires route-finding, multiple rappels, some downclimbing, and lots of wading and swimming. The canyon has some sections of very deep, dark narrows so be cautious and do not hike during times of possible flash flood. The water in the canyon is very cold so a wetsuit is always advised. To safely complete the rappels in the canyon a 1x80' rope, 20' of webbing, two rappel rings, rappelling device, harness, helmet, and dry bag are needed. Exiting the canyon is possible after entering West Clear Creek and hiking northeast for about 10 minutes. There will be a steep path on the right that leads back up to the trailhead.

6

Arizona, Pima County

05 :42 hrs
10.8 mi
1229.3378 ft
3

This is a scenic boulder-filled canyon located in the Santa Catalina Mountains that offers lots of technical canyoneering challenge. The canyon consists of four rappels that require identifying and using some tricky natural anchors and lots of climbing along wet slippery rock. For the rappels you will need two 200' ropes, 100' of webbing, rappelling device, carabiners, 6 rap rings, harness, helmet, and good shoes. Also, due to the amount of water in the canyon come prepared with a dry bag and wetsuit for the multiple swims. The trip is a long all-day adventure so a headlamp is also advised for possibly hiking at night. The trip can be exited by using either the Sabino Canyon trail or the Old Prison Camp route.

7

Arizona, Gila County

07 :54 hrs
14.4 mi
568.4702 ft
3

This scenic loop trip through Park Creek Canyon and Upper Salome Creek is a physically and technically challenging route through remote and rugged canyons in the Salome Wilderness. The trip requires two days to complete with the first day being very strenuous and long. The route demands lots of route-finding, downclimbing on slick rock, multiple rappels including some through flowing water, and lots of wading and forced swims. The trip requires a lot of equipment to complete including two 100' ropes, 40' webbing, rappelling device, multiple rap rings, carabiners, harness, helmet, dry bag, wetsuit, headlamp for possible night hiking, and all the gear needed for an overnight campout. There are lots of natural anchors and existing bolts for the rappels so no bolts will be needed for the rappels. There are some very narrow sections of canyon along this route so do not attempt during times of possible heavy rains.

8

Arizona, Coconino County

04 :05 hrs
9.2 mi
585.04407 ft
3

Located on the West Fork of Oak Creek, this small narrow canyon offers a challenging adventure with multiple down-climbs, long rappels, and short swims. The remote canyon is very technically challenging and should only be attempted by experienced canyoneers familiar with using and identifying natural anchors. To safely rappel through the canyon the equipment needed includes 2x150' ropes, 60' of webbing, rappelling and anchoring gear, a wetsuit and dry bag, especially during cooler temperatures.

9

Arizona, Coconino County

03 :53 hrs
9 mi
469.7732 ft
4

Barney Spring Canyon is a long and challenging route that requires lots of technical rappelling, downclimbing, boulder hopping, route-finding, scrambling, and some swimming to make your way through. There is one large keeper pothole that can be avoided by climbing around it on the right. The rappels may require some study and thought due to tricky starts. Rappelling the canyon should not require the use of any bolts. Equipment needed to safely explore the canyon includes 1x100' rope, 1x200' rope, 60' webbing, 9 rap rings, harness, carabiners, descender, and throw bag for the keeper pothole. Wetsuits and dry bags are also advised for swimming through the cold water.

10

Arizona, Coconino County

04 :53 hrs
8.8 mi
481.18604 ft
3

This loop trip is a technically challenging adventure through a beautiful, remote canyon south of Flagstaff in the Coconino National Forest. Reaching the canyon from the car does not follow a designated trail and requires some route-finding and cross-country hiking. Completing the loop trip through the canyon requires lots of downclimbing, bouldering, multiple rappels, and some swimming. To safely complete the rappels adequate equipment is needed which includes 1x200' rope or 1x100' rope and 1x100' pull-cord, 30' webbing, 3 rappelling rings, rappelling device, harness, carabiners, helmet, and a dry bag. There are multiple pools that require wading and forced swims so a dry bag is advised as well as a wet suit, especially during cooler temperatures. There is a lot of slick rock along the route so be cautious and watch your step.

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