Exploring a hidden hike in Southern Utah - Willis Creek Slot Canyon

After a full day of exploring Zion my buddy and I did one last hike. We didn't get to hike the Narrows so I was seeking to scratch the slot canyon itch. I imagine this does not compare at all to the Narrows, but Willis Creek Slot Canyon was still fairly cool to see. There is certainly not much like it in Wisconsin where I am from!

Getting to the trailhead was a bit unorthodox. Google maps found the location easy enough. What was interesting is that you have to take unpaved back roads that lead into the remote location. It goes up and down hills and is a bit rough at patches. There are portions that are impassable when there has been a lot of rainfall too. Luckily my SUV took it like a champ while getting coated with a LOT of dirt.

We reached the parking lot for the trail and were a bit confused. We hiked in a dried-up river for a short period before we realized we were probably not going the right way. We returned to the parking lot and crossed the road to where the trail actually was. In under 0.5 miles we were already down into the canyon. It was fairly wide and not very tall, but still a cool thing I checked off my list of Utah hikes. Some parts of the canyon get narrow and do make for some cool pictures. If Utah was not so dry at that moment we might have been going through a shallow creek too.

You are able to continue hiking this for as long as you wish but the coolest part of the canyon was in the beginning before it really widens out and doesn't resemble a slot canyon anymore. After seeing the main part, we turned around and headed back.

Final thoughts on the trail: It was cool to see, but I would probably not go back. Based on the reviews from allTrails, I feel like we might have missed some of the features though.

Interested in following along with my journey more or connecting with me? Make sure to follow me on my socials!

Until next time!

-Hawkin