13 Awesome Non-Technical Slot Canyons in the United States

Slot canyons are narrow gorges with sheer walls, sometimes so narrow that you have to turn sideways to squeeze through.

While many are technical, meaning they require ropes and specialized canyoneering equipment to navigate, many are non-technical, requiring some scrambling or easy wading at most.

Let’s check out 13 fascinating slot canyons that the average hiker can explore. Never enter slot canyons when it’s raining, rain is in the forecast, or storm clouds are gathering. They’re prone to flash flooding and can become deadly in just minutes.

Corkscrew Canyon, California

This is in Death Valley National Park near Twenty Mule Team Canyon and some old mining ruins. The narrows here don’t have very tall walls, but they’re still fun to wind through and are very kid-friendly.

Sidewinder Canyon, California

Also in Death Valley and located almost 20 miles south of Badwater, this canyon isn’t a slot canyon itself. However, along its length there are three side canyons of varying lengths that are slot canyons and which you can explore as side trips.

White Domes Loop, Nevada

This loop hike in Valley of Fire State Park has sandy slopes, an old movie set, spectacular sandstone formations, towering pinnacles, and a slot canyon. These narrows don’t have a name, and they’re short and very family-friendly, as is the rest of the hike.

Anniversary Narrows, Nevada

Found in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, the Anniversary Narrows also feature some old mining ruins. Having a four-wheel-drive vehicle can shorten the hike, which is about 8 miles round-trip from the main trailhead.

Antelope Canyon, Arizona

You’ve most likely seen this marvel in pictures before. Classic shots show wildly curved walls with soft lighting and a ray of direct sunlight streaming in from above. It’s even better in person! Antelope Canyon is on Navajo lands near Page, and only guided tours are offered.

Pine Creek, Utah

As you drive the East Entrance Road in Zion National Park, you’ll frequently see a dry (usually) wash beside it. This is Pine Creek. Although Pine Creek becomes a technical slot canyon at the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, there are non-technical narrows in a few places before that.

Zion Narrows, Utah

One of the most famous hikes in Zion, the Narrows can be done top-down in one really long day or as an overnight trip. However, most people opt to start from the other end, hiking a few miles up the river, which is the “trail,” to the best section where the canyon is at its narrowest and the walls are highest and most sheer.

Buckskin Gulch, Utah

Buckskin Gulch near Kanab is the country’s longest continuous run of narrows. There are three main ways people access it, but by far the fastest and easiest is via Wire Pass, found near the eastern end of Buckskin. You’ll also see handprints and other ancient Native American rock art here.

Zebra Canyon, Utah

Zebra Canyon is a short slot canyon with wildly striped walls that give it its name. It’s in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM) off Hole in the Rock Road. There isn’t a well-marked trail to Zebra Canyon, so carefully study directions to it before you set out.

Peekaboo Canyon, Utah

Also in GSENM and accessed via Hole in the Rock Road, Peekaboo may be the most challenging canyon on this list. It requires some scrambling, including a 12-foot climb to get into the canyon itself.

Spooky Gulch, Utah

Spooky Gulch is close to Peekaboo, and many people do both canyons on the same outing. It’s not for claustrophobic people, as some sections are only 10 inches wide and require some squeezing for most folks.

Little Wild Horse Canyon, Utah

This is a popular slot canyon that cuts through the San Rafael Reef near Goblin Valley State Park. Some sections are as narrow as 3 feet wide, and there are often pools to hike/wade through or bypass. A fun way to get past them, when the canyon is narrow enough, is to use stemming, a technique where you straddle the ground below you and proceed ahead.

Bell Canyon, Utah

Bell Canyon runs parallel to Little Wild Horse Canyon. It’s not as long and narrow as Little Wild Horse is, but it’s still beautiful and fun. Many people make a loop of both canyons; this is a little short of 8 miles in all.