Kanarraville Falls: A Slot-Canyon Creek Hike

The wade-up-a-creek slot canyon 45 minutes from St. George — the paid permit you must reserve ahead, plus flash-flood and season tips.

Kanarraville Falls: A Slot-Canyon Creek Hike

Kanarraville Falls is a slot-canyon creek hike about 45 minutes north of St. George, where you wade up a stream to a waterfall with a log ladder — a bucket-list adventure for many Southern Utah visitors.

The basics

  • Distance: ~3.5–4 miles round trip, hiking in and along the creek
  • The payoff: a narrow slot canyon and a waterfall you climb beside on a wooden ladder
  • Wet feet guaranteed — this is a water hike; wear shoes you don't mind soaking

You need a permit. The trail runs through the town of Kanarraville's watershed, and the town limits daily numbers with a paid permit you must reserve in advance online. Permits sell out on busy weekends — plan ahead.

Know before you go

  • Flash-flood risk — check the forecast; skip it if storms threaten
  • Spring runoff can make the water high and cold; summer and early fall are ideal
  • Park at the trailhead lot in town and be respectful — this is a small community's water source

One of the most fun half-day hikes in the region.

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