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| BUCKSKIN GULCH |
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| BUCKSKIN GULCH |
Buckskin Gulch is one of my favorite hikes in all of Southern Utah, and is claimed to be the world's longest slot canyon. Hiking the entire section requires a 21 mile walk with a car spot. I would love to do this sometime, however, as I have always been alone while visiting the area, I just walk up the canyon until I run out of time and turn back. To get to the Wire Pass Trailhead you will need to take a dirt road for several miles that comes south off State Road 89. The road is well maintained and I had no trouble making it in a Toyota Corolla.
From the Wire Pass Trailhead, you will follow a dry wash for about a mile through open desert before reaching Wire Pass. Wire Pass itself would be worth the hike. It is a very dark, narrow slot canyon connecting to Buckskin Gulch that contains several faint petroglyphs nears its confluence. They are so faint I actually missed them my on my first two visits. They are located to your right, fairly low on the wall just past the large alcove at the end of Wire Pass. Just past the petroglyphs, Buckskin Gulch begins. Turn to your right and follow it as long as you want.
Its a pretty amazing slot canyon. It stays pretty tight the whole way, and doesn't have any major obstacles. The ground has been mostly dry every time I've hiked it, though it can get muddy in sections. The first time I hiked Buckskin Gulch in April of 2008, I turned around after about three miles due to a large herd of cows that had wandered into the canyon and clogged it up. In December of 2011 I added it on to my hike to The Wave, as it only about a mile away.
I visited last in November of 2017 and was able to make it about seven miles in before turning around. There were a lot of people at the trailhead, but after about three miles I didn't see anybody else and got to have the Gulch to myself for a few hours. I'm embarrassed to say that I actually remember getting a little creeped out in some of the long, dark cave-like sections, and wishing the canyon would open up a bit more. But after turning around and realizing there were no wolves or mountain lions waiting around the corner for me, I was able to relax and enjoy the tight, dark sections.
