Beautiful Zebra Canyon, a narrow, convoluted slot streaked with pink and white stripes, will delight hikers of all ages. Combine the hike with nearby Tunnel Slot, a long narrow slot, for a great day hike down the Hole in the Rock Road. Zebra Canyon and Tunnel Slot are awesome slot canyons easily accessible to most hikers and photographers. The route is suitable for beginning hikers. Fall and spring are the preferred seasons to do this route. This route is rated 1A II using the Canyon Rating System.

April 16, 2014

Yesterday's visit to the tourist-infested Calf Creek Falls area was just a warmup; today it is time to venture down the hideous Hole-in-the-Rock Road to the first of several scheduled trailheads. Compelled to travel at as little as 10 miles per hour in places due to washboarding of the road surface, my Outback is delighted when I stop to park after just eight miles of torture.

Clouds are abundant, but non-threatening. For me, it always is difficult to predict what will happen to the weather around here.

Getting started

Before long, the trail reaches a rocky area sporting some predictably interesting formations.

That fence isn't guarding much of anything

As I reach another open area, I know that the first objective is over in that next rock outcropping.

Heading for the distant slickrock

There it is — an opening in the rock just where it is supposed to be:

Approaching Zebra Slot

Just inside the entrance, a little puddle is easy enough to inch around.

A minor obstacle

Claustrophobic, yet exciting

I must admit that being in here alone is a bit eerie. I'm no fraidy-cat, but I cannot help being reminded of the commemorativeplaque down at Lower Antelope Canyon showing the names of the eleven people who drowned in a flash flood there in 1997, while in the company of the resident guide (the only survivor). Today's skies are sufficiently inclement that, when I encounter a section of canyon that would necessitate a scramble though a section just six inches wide, I decide to proceed no further.

Some nice photos are going to be missed

I breathe just a bit more easily after exiting the slot.

Off to the next attraction

Just half a mile around the corner is the entrance to a scenic wash with rock walls steep enough to prevent climbing in an emergency, but I'll venture in anyway.

Some neat stuff around the opening

It's time to go in...

..or is it?

Oops! No sooner do I enter the slot than I encounter a puddle more than a foot deep, and there's no way around it. A strong canyoneer could inch his way over it, I suppose; but I am not one of those. Thwarted again!

Heading out already

Well, that's too bad; it wasn't far to the other end. When visiting slotcanyons in the springtime, one must be prepared to deal with water hazards.

Patterns

According to my research, there is some special stuff above the upper end of Tunnel Slot. Today I cannot get through it; but by returning to the mouth of the canyon I should be able to go up and around, and I do. Locating the objects of my search proves easy, because they are all over the place:

Moqui marbles ⇔

The spherules are iron oxide concretions — a sort of hematite 'glue' around a sandstone center. They weather more slowly than the surrounding stratum, finally detaching from the host rock as it erodes away. These geologic phenomena were predicted to exist on Mars; and in fact such 'Martian blueberries' were discovered at Meridiani Planum.

Moqui marbles had substantial spiritual significance to the Hopi Indians. Nowadays any interest tends to be purely commercial, and that is principally why it is illegal to remove these or other materials from federal parklands. I will content myself with a few photographic memories.

Upper Tunnel Slot Canyon is a contorted sandstone maze, seemingly unable to make up its mind.

Reminiscent of The Wave down near Buckskin Gulch ⇔

Heading back down beside the deep wash

Former plant life

Now that I know the lay of the land, it is easy to shortcut back across the open area.

More patterns

The threatening sprinkles have arrived. I really need to get a poncho long enough to cover my lumbar pack, thereby solving several issues. As it is, I wrap my rain gear around my camera and carry it under an arm as I scurry down the last mile of path to the trailhead. Just now, four hikers appear — the only humans I have seen today.

Trying to beat the rain

§: This nearly level walk served as a good initiation to the wonders of Escalante. Although my canyon explorations were curtailed by prevailing conditions, visiting all the fantastic rock formations was a lot of fun, and observing my first-ever Moqui marbles was a real treat.

• Trailhead: 8 miles from SR-12 on Hole-in-the-Rock Road
• Distance: 7½ miles
• Elevation: 5400' to 5200'
• Hikers: 4
• Rating: 5 (more in drier weather)

Zebra Slot Canyon and Tunnel Canyon are two classic and easily accessed canyons of the vast canyons of Grand Staircase-Escalante. In spite of their notoriety, the canyons are still difficult to hike and require careful planning.

After visiting the 'top of Grand Staircase', I briefly visited Bryce Canyon, then made my way to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. I've peaked into this place before but this trip was an all out bash. Staying in Escalante area for 2 days, I made the arduous trek down Hole-in-the-Rock Road and started canyoning.

Zebra and Tunnel Slot Canyon Overviews

Zebra Slot Canyon is likely the most famous in this area. Its striated walls create marvelous photography opportunities. Plus, its only an 8.0 mile drive South on a relatively good section of Hole-in-the-Rock Road from where it leaves UT-12 near Escalante. From there, its about a 2.5 mile (one way) hike across the desert along a herd path to the canyon. Adding Tunnel Slot Canyon from Zebra makes it a 7.1 mile (total distance) hike which most do in about three quarters of a day.

Here's an area map:

Hike to Zebra Slot Canyon

From Utah Route 12 near Escalante, drive to the well marked turnoff for Hole-in-the-Rock Road and set your odometer to Zero. For 8.0 miles, the road is in relatively good quality as of June 2019. There's definitely some tedious washboard sections but nothing that would prevent a normal-clearance car from making it to the trailhead. Whenever it gets wet or muddy, avoid the road in any vehicle. The trailhead is just after a cattle guard and on the right. It is unmarked but most days you'll find at least a few cars at the trailhead. Park on the right if coming from Escalante.

Tunnel Slot Hike Grand Canyon

Cross the road to the Northeast side of Hole in the Rock Road and look for a fairly well-trod path. I didn't see any specific signs for the canyon but the trail was easily followed.

I brought a GPS for extra comfort which came in handy. The trail remains unmarked and there's several side trails that are a bit confusing. I redirected a few lost tourists! Nevertheless, I followed the path of least resistance over the desert for 2.0 miles to the large and dry Harris Wash (its obvious). As of June 2019, there was a cairn which marked the junction to Zebra Slot and Tunnel Slot. I took a left at this cairn, followed the herd path into Harris Wash and up the wash for about 1/4th of a mile until I saw the obvious entrance to Zebra Canyon. If you find yourself walking more than 20 minutes up the wash and haven't found the entrance to Zebra Canyon, you've probably gone to far

During this very dry day, I found innumerable footprints leading to the canyon's entrance. Once it slotted up, I dropped my pack as the canyon gets very, very narrow from here.

Into Zebra

Zebra Canyon is the quintessential slot canyon. Its gets so narrow that even a skinny guy like me was just barely getting by. A wide day certainly wouldn't fit. Like many slot canyons, it was waist deep in water even though no major storms had passed the area in several days. The ranger station at Escalante kept me updated on water levels in the canyon.

The canyon lived up to its name with incredibly artistic furrows throughout my slither. Some sections required some scrambling; not difficult by rock-climbing standards but they were enough to make a less inclined person nervous.

Deep in the back of the canyon I encountered a few dead birds which is also normal for slot canyons. Nevertheless, the steep and deep walls continued to amaze.

It took about an hour to get to the entrance and I took another hour exploring Zebra before coming to an impassable section and I turned around. Zebra was a bit busy even on a weekday which made passing other groups tedious. I wished I went earlier.

Entrance of Zebra canyon to entrance of Tunnel Canyon

Tunnel Slot Canyon isn't nearly as photogenic as Zebra Canyon but since its only 1.3 miles away, I made the side trip. Back out on Harris Wash, I followed it down roughly 0.8 miles to a herd path with cairns to Tunnel Slot. This was a hot and exposed section and I'm glad I brought abundant water.

Tunnel Slot Hike Trail

After finding the side trail, Tunnel canyon quickly came into view and I was at the entrance in less than 1 hour after departing from Zebra Canyon.

Tunnel Canyon is shorter, not as narrow but much darker than Zebra. Even in the midday sun, I felt a flashlight was necessary. I walked through the thigh deep water and meandered through this alluring slot. There's some really neat opportunities for low light photography.

Tunnel Slot Hike Game

Unlike Zebra Canyon's abrupt terminous, Tunnel Canyon is 2-way so I hiked all the way to the exit. I expected there was more when I departed from the exit. There's a four way intersection of other narrow canyons but nothing like a slot so I returned the same way I came.

Return to Trailhead

Tunnel Slot Hike Games

There's not a lot to say about the return trip other than it was very hot and very hard to follow. Zebra and Tunnel Canyons are easy by hiking and canyoneering standards but make no mistake, its easy to get lost out here even with experience. I found my GPS absolutely essential on the return trip.