Slot canyon
Paria Canyon
The Paria River’s canyon from southern Utah into Arizona, a permit-only wilderness of high varnished walls, amphitheaters and hanging gardens.
The BLM describes Paria Canyon as towering walls streaked with desert varnish, huge red-rock amphitheaters, sandstone arches, wooded terraces and hanging gardens. The canyon begins in Utah and runs south into Arizona as the center of the Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, managed by the BLM’s Arizona Strip Field Office.
Every visit needs a permit. Day hikes use a day-use permit for each person and dog, sold at self-pay kiosks at the Utah trailheads or on Recreation.gov. Overnight trips need a permit bought in advance, with a limit of 20 people a day entering the canyon from all trailheads combined and groups of no more than 10. No America the Beautiful or other passes apply. Permits, maps and waste bags are handed out at the Paria Contact Station on US-89 in season and at the Kanab Field Office in winter.
Dogs are allowed if they are on the permit. Human waste bags are required, and everything must be packed out.
Safety
Most of a Paria trip is in the river corridor. Check the forecast and BLM advisories before going in and plan where you can reach high ground.
Related canyons
Slot canyon