Buckskin Gulch is a bucket list hike that takes people through a roughly 16-mile slot canyon lined with Navajo Sandstone rising high above the narrow gulch.
Buckskin Gulch is in the Paria Canyon Vermillion Cliffs-Wilderness east of Kanab, Utah. There are a few ways to access Buckskin Gulch, but the most popular location is Wire Pass Trailhead off of House Rock Valley Road.
This is also where people can access Coyote Buttes North, more commonly known as 'The Wave'. To enter The Wave, people need to win a lottery and I'm about 0-8 in the daily lottery. However, I met a family heading to The Wave who scored the permit using the advanced lottery.
Buckskin Gulch is a great consolation prize that also requires a permit for a day trip and an overnight backpacking trip. We met experienced backpacker Bob Wirth at the junction of Wire Pass and Buckskin, his trail name is Different Socks.
"It's phenomenal, I was here last week hiking and I was so blown away by it, so I definitely decided to come back," said Wirth, who is taking on this challenge for the first time. "It is exciting and terrifying at the same time."
Buckskin Gulch has several challenges and it starts with water. Hikers need to check the weather as far away as Bryce Canyon National Park to make sure there is no rain in the forecast. You don't want to be caught in the gulch during a flash flood, as there are not many escape routes. Earlier this spring, four hikers died in the gulch because of flash floods.
The lack of water can also be a challenge, as no reliable water sources are available until hikers reach the Paria River. It was dry when I did this hike, but in the past, I've had to wade through water left over from the storms making it a really cold hike in the fall.
"I don’t know what to expect when it comes to going into a slot canyon for miles and miles for five days in a row," said Bob.
Backpackers have a couple of different options for multi-day trips. Bob started at the Buckskin Gulch Trailhead and he made it all the way through the Paria River Canyon to Lees Ferry, 44 miles away.
"There are not enough words in a thesaurus to describe what I experienced and saw," said Bob. "Towering red walls that went on for miles, huge arches that hung over your head, massive boulders to be skirted or climbed down, wonderful Aspen trees sporting autumn colors at many campsites, and then there were the river crossings."
It's important to stay within your comfort zone in Buckskin Gulch, which is why I've only done this as a day hike. I've found that it is a relatively safe hike in the fall as long as the weather cooperates.
Other hazards in the gulch include quicksand, a lack of cell service (as search and rescue suggest having a spot device or a Garmin), and making sure to bring more water than you think you need.
Buckskin Gulch is another example of the wonders of southern Utah. I take a trip there every fall if I have vacation time left. And I didn't even make it to some of the amazing national parks in the area. We have done previous stories on Angels Landing in Zion National Park.
Remember to pack out everything you take in and practice 'leave no trace' principles, which includes packing out human waste using wag bags while hiking in this area.
