Into the Heart of Buckskin Gulch
May 2021
The Narrow Wonders of Buckskin Gulch
Thanks to the night Mucinex, I slept well. Two days after my shot, I felt ready to conquer the day I’d been anticipating. Excited and a bit nervous, I set out to hike part of Buckskin Gulch. Known as the longest and deepest slot canyon in the Southwestern United States, Buckskin stretches for 13 miles. Beyond its beauty, the gulch is also famed for its danger. Because it serves as a massive drainage basin, rain from up to 50 miles away can trigger sudden flash floods in the narrow corridors, leaving no possibility for escape. With the canyon’s risks in mind, we checked the weather and warning messages before leaving early in the morning.
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The 8-mile stretch of House Rock Valley Road to the Wire Pass Trailhead was a test for our little car. The washboard dirt road was poorly maintained, forcing us to drive very slowly for 30 minutes. Although we arrived at the trailhead feeling a bit “shaken up” and nauseous from the vibrations, the excitement of the hike quickly overtook any discomfort once we set out.
Under a beautiful morning sun, the first 1.5 miles led us through a wide, exposed dry creek bed . Then, we crawled over a massive rock jam. We descended a sturdy wooden ladder into the narrow depths. We entered a different world. The walls rose hundreds of feet above us. At times, the canyon was so narrow I could touch both sides at once. The Navajo Sandstone walls were carved into organic, wavy patterns, with “potholes” formed by the action of rushing water and debris over thousands of years. Minimal sunlight in the gulch caused the walls to “glow.”
My photos couldn’t capture what I saw and felt, the endless color, shifting light, and striking rock patterns. With each turn, displaying new ochre, orange, and purple. Vermilion Cliffs National Monument felt otherworldly. The hike had been mesmerizing, humbling, and so worth the wait.