Overview

Hype:

Backpacking West Canyon on the southern end of Lake Powell is a remote yet rewarding experience for hikers seeking solitude and breathtaking desert scenery.

The trip typically begins with a boat shuttle to the canyon’s mouth on Lake Powell, followed by a trek up the canyon alongside a seasonal stream. Depending on lake levels and recent storms, portions of the hike can be through deep mud or water, especially near the lake.

Most of the lower section of the hike passes through wide sections of the canyon where it is possible to walk along the bank, but stream crossings are frequent. At about 3 or 4 miles in, there is a section of water-filled canyon that requires swimming. If your backpacking gear is not waterproof, you can take the bypass trail around the swimming section. Be warned though that the bypass has a lot of elevation gain to get up and over. There are two more waterfalls that you'll pass before arriving at camp. These waterfalls are 10-15 ft tall and can be bypassed by using the fixed ropes just around the corner.

Once you reach West Canyon Primitive Camping 1, you'll want to drop your backing gear. There are a couple locations farther up canyon that could also work for camping, but this location is up on a ledge safe from most flash floods and makes a good camping spot.

As you continue up canyon, the walls get taller, closer together, and more scenic. The final section of upper narrows is truly spectacular. It is some of the most scenic sandstone slot canyon around.

Technical canyoneers often exit the canyon below the upper narrows, hike around to the top, and descend the canyon using rappelling gear and technical canyoneering skills to see the entire upper section of the upper narrows.

Hikers and backpackers can explore up canyon as far as their skills permit. This section of the canyon is very dark, wet, and cold, so a wetsuit is often appreciated.

Due to its remoteness and the need for a boat to reach the trailhead, West Canyon is best suited for experienced backpackers familiar with desert terrain and self-supported travel. Visitors should carry proper permits, check weather and water conditions, and be prepared for Leave No Trace camping in an area of delicate geology and cultural significance.

Trail Condition: Class 2 (Trail may have tree roots or rocks jutting out. Navigation skills may consist of following rock cairns and choosing turns at junctions. Elevation gains may be more substantial.)

Time: 3-4 hours one way

Length: 7.2 miles one way to camp, another 3.9 mile to the bottom of the upper narrows

Elevation Gain: 350 ft

Fees: Park Entrance, Boat Shuttle

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

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Maps

Closest City or Region: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Coordinates: 37.000796, -111.141882

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April 24, 2025 Trip Report

By Jeremy Dye

Trip Members

Jeremy Dye, Luke Galyan, Tracy Kwan, Tom Collins, Mark Burnham, Austin Wilkins, Dan Schurtz, Hanna Zwemke, Tanner Jensen, Luke Murray, Julia Rose,

Story

Wednesday, I worked a full day then drove to Payson to meet up with and carpool with several others heading down to West Canyon. I did some grocery shopping and filled up with gas. Dan was 1.5 hours late because he got stuck on I-15 going 10 miles an hour due to an accident. We drove down to Lone Rock Beach and spent the night cowboy camping.

Thursday, we caught a boat shuttle to West Canyon. We hiked in for 5.5 hours and set up basecamp.

Friday, we got an early start and did Full House Canyon. After that, we had a little extra time in the evening, so we went and did Hostage Release as well. 

Saturday, we did Arch Rival Canyon. The approach was super long but the canyon was really good and had a cool triple arch and lots of canyon scenery. 

Sunday, we got an early start at 6:30 and did Hall of Horrors Canyon. This one had a much shorter approach and was a lot of fun. It's pretty shallow and there are lots of bypasses available, but we generally stuck to the main drainage and did all the challenges. We got back to camp by about 3:30 and played hearts and hung out. It got very windy and started raining in the evening. I put my bivy sack on but didn't have any trees to keep it open, so during the night, there was a lot of condensation on my sleeping bag. 

Monday, we did a new exploration canyon, which we named Kitty Litter. It had some fun obstacles and was decently short for an exit day. We started the canyon at about 7:00 and finished up around 10:30. We dropped our canyon gear at the mouth of the canyon and hiked back to camp. We then had lunch and packed up our backpacking backpacks. We hiked down West Canyon, picking up our canyon gear on the way and made it to our camp near the mouth of West Canyon around 3:00. We played some more cards and swapped stories until it got dark. 

Tuesday, the final day of my West Canyon trip. We packed up camp and hiked about 1.5 mi from camp to the lake. We played cards until our boat shuttle came shortly before 8:30. We rode our boat shuttle back to the marina, arriving around 10:15. We grabbed Navajo tacos at a restaurant. Then we drove home, stopping at the creamery for ice cream on the way. 

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