Kanarraville Falls: A Slot-Canyon Creek Hike
Kanarraville Falls: a slot canyon with ladders and waterfalls — and a permit you must buy in advance, with numbers capped daily.
Kanarraville Falls is one of the most striking short hikes in southern Utah, and unlike almost anything else nearby, you cannot simply turn up.
The permit is the gate
Access runs through the town of Kanarraville, which limits the number of hikers per day and requires a permit purchased in advance.
This exists for a real reason: the canyon is small, the stream is the town's watershed, and unrestricted numbers were damaging both. The cap is enforced at the trailhead.
Buy the permit before you travel, and be aware that popular dates sell out. Systems, costs and daily limits change, so check the town's current arrangements directly rather than relying on anything published elsewhere, including here.
What the hike is
A walk up a creek into a narrowing red slot canyon, with the water underfoot for much of it. Inside, waterfalls drop through the slot, and ladders and steps installed on the falls let you climb past them.
The combination — a slot canyon, running water and ladders — is unusual, and it is why the hike is so popular despite the restrictions.
What it demands
You will be wet. There is no dry route; the creek is the trail.
- Proper footwear that can get soaked and grip on wet rock. Not sandals, and not shoes you mind ruining.
- Cold water, especially outside high summer.
- A dry bag for anything that must stay dry.
- Reasonable fitness and balance. The ladders are secure but exposed enough that a nervous climber will find them uncomfortable.
Flash flooding is the serious risk
A narrow slot with a stream in it, in a desert, is a flash-flood hazard by definition. Water arrives from storms upstream that you cannot see.
Do not go on an uncertain forecast, and do not enter with any warning in effect. Late summer is the season of concern. See desert hiking safety.
Practical
- It is about a forty-five-minute drive north of St. George, near Kanarraville.
- Parking is at the town trailhead, and it is limited — another reason the permit system exists.
- Go early for parking, temperature and quiet.
- Respect the town. This is a small community absorbing a large number of visitors through its streets, and the access depends on visitors behaving well.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for Kanarraville Falls?
Yes. Access runs through the town of Kanarraville, which caps the number of hikers per day and requires a permit bought in advance. The restriction exists because the canyon is small and the stream is the town's watershed, and unrestricted numbers were damaging both. Popular dates sell out, and costs and daily limits change, so check the town's current arrangements directly rather than relying on any published description.
What should I wear?
Footwear that can be soaked and still grip wet rock, because the creek is the trail and there is no dry route — not sandals, and not shoes you mind ruining. The water is cold outside high summer. Bring a dry bag for anything that must stay dry, and expect the ladders past the waterfalls to feel exposed if you are a nervous climber, even though they are secure.
Is it dangerous?
The serious risk is flash flooding, as with any narrow slot with a stream running through it in a desert. Water arrives from storms upstream that you cannot see from inside the canyon. Do not go on an uncertain forecast and never enter with a warning in effect, particularly in late summer. Beyond that, cold water and slippery rock are the ordinary hazards and are managed with sensible footwear.