⊗ Orderville Canyon

August 24, 2017 tarannosaurus

Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Utah → Zion National Park → ⊗ Orderville Canyon

⊗ Technical Route ⊗

Warning: Do Not Attempt Without Proper Training – click here for details

Location: East Canyon, Zion National Park, Utah

Distance: 11 miles

Elevation Descent: 1900 feet

Time Required: 6-10 hours

Rappels: 2 at most, lengths up to 25 feet

Red Tape/Notes: The park is open 24 hours a day; park passes are $30 per vehicle and are valid for 7 days. Trail requires a permit – visit the Zion Permits website; shuttle required to the Orderville Canyon Trailhead (shuttles are offered by various outfitters like Zion Adventure Company) – the trail runs from the Orderville Trailhead to the Temple of Sinawava, which is the last stop on the Zion Canyon shuttle. For more info on this route (and others in Zion and around Utah), visit the Canyoneering USA website.

What’s Nearby?: The Narrows, Riverside Walk, Mystery Canyon

There are only two rather small obstacles where ropes are generally used, and could be done as a non-technical route, but it’s challenging enough that I’d rather err on the side of caution and classify it with the other technical canyons. With that said, it is a very easy and low-adrenaline canyon. That doesn’t mean it isn’t enjoyable – it’s very pretty and certainly worth doing, especially if you like The Narrows, you enjoy a little solitude, and you like Zion’s scenery. We did this canyon in very low water conditions, so we didn’t reach a lot of water until we were near The Narrows; there is often much more water on this route so be prepared for that. The canyon starts out down a wide dirt road, and after nearly 3 miles of easy hiking arrives at the start of Orderville, where you’ll enjoy tall, sheer walls, slotty canyon sections, and various groves of trees. In the last mile you’ll reach the “waterpark” section – a fun area of miniature waterfalls and lots of little boulders to navigate. Resist the urge to jump – this is the site of many sprained and broken ankles. You’ll eventually start seeing people coming up from The Narrows – it’s common to hike up Orderville as far as possible as a side trip on a Narrows hike.