Slot Canyons Near Kodachrome Basin

Kodachrome Basin State Park is located in southern Utah and best known for its 67 towering sand pipes, or chimney rocks, which rise from the earth and soar from six to 170 feet tall. Their variegated shades of red, pink, white, yellow, and gray sediment, coupled with a backdrop of brilliant blue skies, desert vegetation, and shifting daylight. Location The canyon is reached by Cottonwood Canyon Road - the useful shortcut between US 89/Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon National Park. From the north end it is a 14 mile drive south then east, past the turning to Kodachrome Basin State Park, up and over several steep ridges to the streamway, which crosses the road a few miles before the frequently visited landmark of Grosvenor Arch. Kodachrome is south of Bryce Canyon and well worth the drive to hike, camp or explore. The park offers numerous trails, horseback riding and has the amenities that a national park doesn't. Kodachrome is a drive (paved roads) into the park and has great views and rock formations unlike Bryce Canyon.

• Slot Canyons Near Kodachrome Basin New Mexico
• Slot Canyons Near Kodachrome Basin Texas
• Slot Canyons Near Kodachrome Basin Colorado

Located just a few miles east of Bryce Canyon is Kodachrome Basin, one of Utah's hidden Gems! With it's red tinged rock formations contrasting against the bright blue Utah Skies, it is no wonder the National Geographic Society came up with the name Kodachrome, after the Kodak Film Corp. It was officially opened to the public as a state park back in 1963.Â

Experience first hand the monolithic spires and chimneys, also known as sand pipes, that rise up from the valley floor and surrounding sandstone rocks and the Grosvenor Arch by horseback with the Kodachrome Park trail ride offered at Red Canyon Trail Rides.

About the Kodachrome Park Trail Ride

Start off your ride from the Panorama Trail and venture through the gorgeous red sandstone canyons while you ride pass the giant sand pipes that line the path. See first hand the combination of the various shades of yellow, pink, red, white and brown as you ride through the basin area.Â

Choose from a one hour or two hour ride through the basin. Whether you're an experienced rider, or a beginner, the friendly guides and incredible horses at Red Canyon Trail rides are sure to make sure you have a ride that you'll remember. With over 60 years of experience in guiding trail rides, Red Canyon Trail rides knows what it takes to truly have a fun and memorable experience. Parx poker room blog.

About Red Canyon Trail Rides

Red Canyon Trail Rides was founded in 1948 by Grandpa Rich and continues to be family owned and operated to help cary on his legacy and love of the area. Since its founding, the guides at Red Canyon Trail Rides have been showing visitors the beauty of Bryce Canyon that can only be appreciated from horseback. They offer a full service of vacation amenities as they partner with their sister company Bryce Canyon Pines.Â

Each cowboy guide at Red Canyon Trail Rides will share some of the amazing history that can be found in the Bryce Canyon Area, including exciting adventures that include the famous outlaw Butch Cassidy and his history with the area. No matter which trail you chose to explore, or what level of experience you have with riding, you’re sure to have a memorable time discovering Bryce Canyon and the surrounding area the way it was meant to be explored; on horseback.

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Many narrow canyons cut into the foothills of the Kaiparowits Plateau at the center of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and two of the Paria River drainage system have become quite well known - Bull Valley Gorge and Round Valley Draw. Waters of the latter flow south into the larger, wider Hackberry Canyon which then joins Cottonwood Creek, and this in turn meets the main river, a couple of miles south of the site of the old town of Paria.
The canyon formed by Round Valley Draw has about a half mile of deep, cool narrows through the light-colored, narrow layered Navajo sandstone rocks typical of this region. There are a couple of dryfalls to overcome but no major obstacles and the most interesting section can be explored in just 2 hours.

Map

Topographic map of Round Valley Draw.

Location

The canyon is reached by Cottonwood Canyon Road - the useful shortcut between US 89/Lake Powell and Bryce Canyon National Park. From the north end it is a 14 mile drive south then east, past the turning to Kodachrome Basin State Park, up and over several steep ridges to the streamway, which crosses the road a few miles before the frequently visited landmark of Grosvenor Arch. A side track is signposted to Round Valley Draw - this follows the shallow valley south for 1.5 miles, near to where the canyon deepens. There is one difficult stream crossing early on, then a second soon before the start of the narrows, just before which is a good place for parking, although the road does continue - it runs in the creek bed for a while then up the far side, on to the Rush Beds plateau and Booker Canyon. Off road vehicles can drive further down the creek, right to where the deep part of Round Valley Draw begins. In the late 1990s the BLM installed a trail register nearby, and it shows that on average one or two groups visit the canyon every day during the summer months.

Photographs

8 views of Round Valley Draw.

Route Description

After a 20 minute walk downstream from the parking area, the canyon proper starts abruptly - the creek cuts into the top of the Navajo sandstone layer via a three-stage drop of 15 feet, descent of which may be aided by a tree stump wedged between the rocks. This is easy enough going down but moderately difficult to climb back up. Most of the gorge thereafter is often muddy although usually without any major pools; a few days after rainfall the deepest water that requires wading is typically just 1.5 feet. The early narrows are particularly pretty with lots of thin tilted strata eroded into curves and ridges, and plenty of places where the sun illuminates the passageways and reflects along the canyon walls.

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