Backpacking Discussions

I'm planning a trip for me and my friend to some slot canyons. I've looked into many and Buckskin Gulch is one that I am thinking of hiking. Is it pretty? I've heard about water pockets in it, if so how deep are they? Are they all just dirty water? Would people recommend this hike?

Thanks, jimmypack42

jimmypack42 wrote:I'm planning a trip for me and my friend to some slot canyons. I've looked into many and Buckskin Gulch is one that I am thinking of hiking. Is it pretty? I've heard about water pockets in it, if so how deep are they? Are they all just dirty water? Would people recommend this hike?

Thanks, jimmypack42

I loved Buckskin Gulch! I came over from Ohio to visit some friends in Arizona and we backpacking Buckskin. Depending on what time of year you go, the water pools can be deep. When my group went there were some places where we couldn't touch the bottom. You definitely want to water-proof your gear or make sure you don't have anything that would be ruined by water. My group used stuffbags and garbage bags and it worked fine. The water is not drinkable at all. You can hardely see through it at all and I don't think I'd drink it even if it was purified and filtered and I was dying.... I would recommend this hike to any outdoors enthusiest.

We camped at the Wire Pass trailhead the night before and started hiking the next day. You can look at http://www.outdoorhighadventure.com/buckskingulch.htm and it will give you tons of info and show you the route usually taken. We camped right before reaching the confluence on a sand bank. Beware of rattlesnakes! The last couple miles before reaching White House are killers. Almost no shade, my group was running low on water. Not a cool thing. There are nice places at the end of the trail to sit under trees and things, but until then, it felt like the trail would never end. As the longest slot canyon in the world, it was a great hike with spectacular scenery! Hope you have a great time where ever you end up going!

Okay thanks. From what I thought, the water only got about knee deep, but maybe that was in a different season.... what time of year did you go?

Ya snowwhite... I don't think the water ever gets that deep. When I hiked it in July it only got waist deep. You must just be confusing Buckskin with another hike!

You guys are totally right. I was confused between hikes! I was thinking about the Subway in Zions National Park! Sorry. After you've done so many hikes, you start to get them all mixed into one. The first paragraph is mostly really about the Subway, but I think the second is all Buckskin.

Yes, Buckskin Gulch is REALLY only about waist deep. At defferent times of the season I'm sure it can be a lot lower or even higher. I hope that you guys end up doing Buckskin and have fun! Careful of flash floods! The Subway is also a great hike to look into!

Sorry for the confusion!