Canyoneering | Brides Canyon
Hype:
Brides Canyon is near the Gooney Bird Rock Tower off the Gemini Bridges Road. The canyon is interesting and pretty by Moab standards. If you are used to North Wash or Zion and expecting a challenge, you'll be disappointed that this is more of a hike with rappels. It never really slots up. There are a lot of rock towers and arches in the vicinity as well. Bring webbing and at least 100 feet of rope.
Canyon Rating: 3A/B 
Time: 3-4 hours
Length: 1.5 miles approach, 0.5 mile canyon
Longest Rappel: 3-4 rappels up to 50 ft
Gear: Standard canyoneering gear. Wetsuit generally not required.
Fees: None
Recommended Ages:
 | 0-3 |
 | 4-11 |
 | 12-19 |
 | 20-49 |
 | 50-69 |
 | 70+ |
Recommended Months to Visit:
| Jan |
| Feb |
| Mar |
| Apr |
| May |
| Jun |
| Jul |
| Aug |
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| Dec |
From the dirt road, head to the obvious weakness in the north-facing cliffs. Scramble up the least steep part.
You will quickly encounter a rather tricky upclimb. Unless you are a highly skilled rock climber, you will need to do a shoulder stand to ascend this obstacle. The first person should take a rope, meat anchor from the top, and allow the next persons to use the rope to ascend.
Above this obstacle, stay to your right through a field of boulders, through the only obvious viable route to the top of the cliffs. There is a class III move here where, again, the leader can take the rope and set an anchor for subsequent climbers if necessary.
Here, you'll top out on the plateau.
Head northeast to the start of the slot. There is an easy mountain bike trail to guide you for 2/3rds of the way.
When you get to the canyon, walk down a gentle slope, stay right, and ascend past a large outcrop. It's here that a GPS route is indispensable. Past this outcrop, scramble down several hundred feet on canyon right to the canyon floor.
Enter the canyon and start bushwhacking. You will quickly come to a difficult downclimb into a pool, which may be filled or dry. A partner assist with a handline works well. In winter, if you don't want to wade in icy water, you can retreat up canyon and climb the north wall and follow the ledges before rappelling back in the canyon just below the pool.
After the pool there are some narrows before reaching the first rappel, 30' or so. This rappel is two stage, 20 feet and 10 feet. There is a tree to use as an anchor, currently without webbing. There are some interesting short side slots to explore in the area.
Walk down through pretty narrows. Rappel 2 is about 50 feet off of webbing on a tree.
The next drop has an easy bypass on the right.
The final rappel is a 50' rap off a deadman anchor.
After rappel 3, follow the obvious trail down canyon and back to your vehicle.
By Jeremy Dye
Jeremy Dye, Tara Dye, Savannah Dye, Madilyn Dye, Cooper Dye, Anthony Dye, Miller Dye, Kevin Christensen, Michelle Christensen,
Start: 8:45
Top of Canyon: 10:40
End: 12:35
We got up early, had breakfast, and packed our canyon bags. We were at the trailhead by 8:30 and proceeded on the long and arduous hike up to the top. It actually wasn't that long, but to the little legs in our group it felt like the end of the world.
We finally made it to the top of the canyon and dropped down in. Cooper got a cactus spine in his hand and was pretty distraught about that and very exhausted from three full days of canyoneering.
We were anxious about having a longer-than-expected canyon adventure, so we pushed through as quickly as we could. We ended up making really good time, even with shuttling kids across water. Anthony ran ahead at the end and picked up his truck from camp and saved us the last half mile of walking. We made it back to camp before lunch, which was amazing time, considering. We ate and then picked up camp and headed home.
Brides Canyon Designated Dispersed Campsites
Rappels
Downclimbs
Fixed Anchors
Wetsuit Generally Not Required
No Drinking Water
Slot Canyon
Wayfinding
No Restrooms
Road Access is Dirt - High Clearance
Access Road is 4WD
Wildflowers and Vegitation
Wildlife and Birding
