Tunnel Slot Escalante

Grand-Staircase Escalante is filled with slot canyons. Including Round Valley Draw, Tunnel Canyon, and Zebra Canyon to name a few. It’s like a slot canyon haven. After visiting Buckskin Gulch I’ve become kind of obsessed with slot canyons. While Buckskin was the biggest and Round Valley was the funnest, Zebra Canyon is definitely the prettiest. Zebra and Tunnel Slots is a 6.6 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Escalante, Utah that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips and is best used from March until November. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

NOVEMBER 2008, NOVEMBER 2012 & NOVEMBER 2018
ZEBRA SLOT
ZEBRA SLOT

ZEBRA SLOT

ZEBRA SLOT
NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO ZEBRA SLOT
ENTRANCE TO ZEBRA SLOT
BEHIND TUNNEL SLOT

ENTRANCE TO TUNNEL SLOT

ENTRANCE TO TUNNEL SLOT
TUNNEL SLOT IN NOVEMBER 2012

Zebra and Tunnel Slots are reached via a 7.8 mile drive down Hole-in-the-Rock Road from highway 12. At 7.8 miles, you will come to a cattle guard crossing over the road. There is no signage, but just pull off into the parking lot on the side of the road. From here you will cross the road and follow the trail on the other side. When I first hiked this trail in 2008, there was no parking area or trail. As happens, once a spot becomes popular enough, the BLM will step in a make a parking area and trail so people don't get lost trying to find it, and so a spiderweb of trails doesn't form across the desert from people trying to find their own way. Continue following the trail for about two miles until it runs into Harris Wash. Harris Wash is very large, and you will know when you reach it.
When I was here last in November, 2018, there was a pretty well marked trail leading across Harris Wash to the entrance of Zebra Slot, about a quarter-mile away. On my previous two visits, it took a little bit of work to find the entrance. Zebra is a short, but fun slot canyon to hike up. It is very narrow in parts and requires a tiny bit of scrambling before if eventually ends at a large dry fall.
If you are interested in seeing Tunnel, go back to Harris Wash, take a left, and follow it about a half-mile or so to a small wash coming off to your left. Follow this about a quarter-mile and it will take you to Tunnel Slot. This is a nice, short slot that really does look and feel like a tunnel. It was completely dry when I was there in November of 2008, but when I returned in November of 2012, it was filled with chest-deep water. I was able to chimney almost the entire way through until the walls got too far apart at the end. It was pretty cold, so I decided not to go in the water.

Escalante
Overview Getting There Route Photos Maps Comments

Overview


73 Todo Lists / 22 Ticks
Slot
LENGTH:3-5 hours

Sun

44 18

Mon

48 21

Tue

51 20

Wed

39 18

Thu

39 15

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GEAR:Standard Hiking Gear

Sun

44 18

Mon

48 21

Tue

51 20

Wed

39 18

Thu

39 15

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Tunnel

Zebra and Tunnel Slot are both unique and distinct spots. Often photographed, Zebra lives up to its name with amazing pink stripes. Tunnel Slot, as the name implies, is a short section of slot resembling a tunnel.

Bring your camera and the kids, this is a great family outing. The hike is reasonably short, with straightforward navigation. Though it can be brutally hot in the summer, it is still do-able with an early morning start or visiting in the evening. My preference is to visit in the fall or winter.

Getting There

Head east out of the town of Escalante about 5 miles on highway 12 until the well signed Hole in the Rock road.

  • Turn onto the Hole In The Rock Road and reset your odometer. ( 12S 453596mE 4175370mN / N37° 43' 28' W111° 31' 36' )
  • Go 8 miles to just after a cattle guard. The trailhead on the south side of the road. This is 0.2 miles before Halfway Hollow. ( 12S 460697mE 4165897mN / N37° 38' 22' W111° 26' 44' )

Route

From the trailhead, cross the road and find a well-traveled hikers path on the north side of the road near the cattle guard. Follow this north while it meanders its way down to Halfway Hollow. The trail is well defined and well cairned. It will take 40-50 minutes to reach the bottom of Halfway Hollow. Near the bottom, the trail cuts left over low meanders and heads directly for Zebra. Follow it, crossing Harris Wash, and heading for the first obvious side canyon.

Tunnel Slot Canyon Escalante

Zebra is wide open where it joins Harris Wash, but becomes deeper and narrower within 10 minutes of heading up it. Where it narrows, you may encounter a few pools from ankle to waist deep. 15 minutes up the canyon you will enter the short, but amazing Zebra section that ends at a small dryfall you can upclimb. This is the best section of Zebra. Above the small dryfall is a large pothole and the canyon opens. Head back down to Harris Wash when finished.

To reach Tunnel Slot, go down Harris Wash a little less than a mile (20-30 minutes) from Zebra to the first side canyon coming in on the left. Go up this side canyon about 10 minutes to reach the Tunnel. It can be dry, or a deep pool.

Tunnel Slot Canyon Escalante

Return up Harris Wash to Halfway Hollow and follow the trail back to the trailhead.


Tunnel Slot Escalante

Photos

Videos

ryancornia

Tunnel Slot Escalante

Maps

Route / 7.67 miles / Elevation Range 5,101 - 5,346 ft.
Printable Maps:
Trailhead

12S 460697mE 4165896mN

N37° 38' 22' W111° 26' 44'

Zebra

12S 463205mE 4168360mN

N37° 39' 42' W111° 25' 02'

Tunnel

12S 464145mE 4167647mN

N37° 39' 19' W111° 24' 23'

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Tunnel Slot Canyon Escalante

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