Located close to the outdoor mecca of Moab, this canyon is off the radar of most folks because it isn't super easily reachable from the town itself. In an area of nearly limitless desert scenery located less than 30 minutes from town, driving over an hour to reach a canyon is not on the map for most people. But what those people lose is your gain, as this is a sweet little canyon that can be fun for both non-technical hikers or adventure-seeking adrenaline junkies.
This is an interesting canyon as far as slots go, because it cuts through the Entrada rock layer. Entrada is kind of strange rock layer, as it can form everything from large, slabby slickrock similar to Navajo or Wingate, or it can be loose and crumbly like the Chinle. In this area the Entrada behaves much like the Navajo, and the famous arches in nearby Arches National Park are all in the same layer. Entrada is not typically a slot former, but in this area it has formed a number of interesting slots, including the three local to here, as well as Lost Spring, MMI, and Undercover nearby.
Beginners and non-technical hikers will want to access this canyon from the bottom. Doing so involves dropping down the hill from the access road, and descending a gentle wash until you reach the bottom of Winter Camp Wash. From here it is an easy hike up the wash into the ever-narrowing canyon, until you reach the head of the canyon and the bottom of the rappel. It's an easy hike, and there are no obstacles in the canyon to overcome. There are also several neat short side canyons that branch off on either side, offering short trips to explore up them.
For technical hikers this canyon is a blast because while it only contains one rappel, it is a big one. ~195 feet to be exact. For those looking to do this, you need to hike to the head of the canyon, and follow the flat sandy wash until it drops off the Earth. The first 60'-70' drops down a sheer wall into a large, flat bottomed pothole. Then you crawl over a small logjam and drop the remaining ~120' to the canyon floor. This part of the rap is quite scary as the canyon gets much narrower in the bottom 40', and as you are dropping down it looks like you are dropping into a dark and scary hole in the ground. There is a convenient tree at the top of the drop that makes a nice anchor, and as the canyon is short and a one car shuttle, it's possible to leave your rope set up and retrieve it after you are done hiking.
For technical hikers this canyon is a blast because while it only contains one rappel, it is a big one. ~195 feet to be exact. For those looking to do this, you need to hike to the head of the canyon, and follow the flat sandy wash until it drops off the Earth. The first 60'-70' drops down a sheer wall into a large, flat bottomed pothole. Then you crawl over a small logjam and drop the remaining ~120' to the canyon floor. This part of the rap is quite scary as the canyon gets much narrower in the bottom 40', and as you are dropping down it looks like you are dropping into a dark and scary hole in the ground. There is a convenient tree at the top of the drop that makes a nice anchor, and as the canyon is short and a one car shuttle, it's possible to leave your rope set up and retrieve it after you are done hiking.
Bonus: There is a short, but intense "elevator" slot along the west side of this canyon that can be descended by stemming and then hiking back out. It's narrow, and it drops incredibly fast, and shouldn't take more than about 15 minutes to knock off.
All photos copyright Kit Davidson unless otherwise noted.