Hiking through Bull Valley Gorge
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Sketchy Slot Canyon Scramble
After a hike, I usually feel one of three things: 1) I love it! An amazing view, a peaceful walk through the woods or canyon, a fun adventure. These trails are easy recommendations. 2) Blah - there are better ways to spend your time. 3) I missed something on the trail or ran out of time and now that I realize it, I need to go back. Somehow, Bull Valley Gorge makes me feel all three of these things at the same time… and that’s confusing to explain.
Although Bull Valley Gorge is a short hike with a relatively minimal change in elevation, this is a rough hike with some major obstacles. It’s absolutely not a place to bring young children. We chickened out about a third of our way through the canyon and ended up hiking back out the way we came.
Although I was frustrated at the time that we couldn’t make it through, it was absolutely the right decision for us. And I’m still really glad we ventured out and hiked what we were able to. The intensity of this remote wilderness at Bull Valley Gorge was powerful to experience. Although we would have felt braver if there could have been other people around that perhaps may have been able to help us or given us some advice, being in this canyon alone in the middle of nowhere was the peace we needed on an extremely weary day.
This canyon is definitely not going to be at the top of most people’s top to-do list in Grand Staircase-Escalante, but for the right person, at the right time, it might be exactly perfect. Be careful out here. Don’t hike this one solo. Make sure someone not in your hiking party knows where you are going, consider bringing a rope or two, be aware the canyon at the bottom may be full of deep mud, and don’t be ashamed or disappointed if you decide to turn around rather than hiking the trail as a loop.
If you are looking for an easier recommendation, I would highly recommend Willis Creek Slot Canyon, locate about 5-minutes away, in the direction of town. If you have time for just one hike out on Skutumpah Road, my recommendation would Willis Creek over Bull Valley.
Standing at the edge of Bull Valley Gorge
Location
Although Bull Valley Gorge is located within Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the trailhead is an hour away from the town of Escalante. This National Monument is huge! At 1.9 million acres, Grand Staircase-Escalante is 1.5 times the size of Delaware. Additionally, there aren’t many roads that run through this park, so it takes a bit longer to navigate to various trailheads.
There are closer options for lodging than Escalante, which include a campground at Utah’s Kodachrome Basin State Park (about 30 minutes north), hotels in Bryce Canyon City (about 40 minutes northwest), and campgrounds within Bryce Canyon National Park. The best option for visiting Bull Valley Gorge (least amount of extra driving) would be on a day that you switch lodging between Escalante and Bryce Canyon National Park, if both places are on your vacation itinerary.
To get to Bull Valley Gorge from US-12, take Main St., which turns into Kodachrome Road. The trailhead is located 6 miles down Skutumpah Road, a grated, bumpy, sandy road, where a higher clearance vehicle is going to be preferred, if not required. Note that if this road is wet (as true with any of the sandy, grated roads in Grand Staircase-Escalante), it will not be passable, regardless of vehicle type. Check in at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center (or call out there) for current road and trail conditions.
Logistics
There’s enough space alongside the road for 2-3 cars at the trailhead. We were there on a weekend in the summer and were the only ones there. I doubt limited parking space will be a concern.
There are no bathrooms at this trailhead, but just a couple of miles back along Skutumpah Road, there are port-a-potties at the Willis Creek Slot Canyon Trailhead, so just stop along your way.
Expect there could be deep mud at the bottom of the canyon. This was part of our problem. We aren’t scarred of mud, but it was difficult to gage from up above, how far we might sink if we jumped down. This made it difficult to guess the problems we might encounter if we turned around and had to hike back. Additionally, have some other footwear waiting for you in your car to change into.
Also consider bringing a rope. We had one but couldn’t figure out how to get up high enough to use the bolt in the canyon wall, so I’m not sure how helpful this advice actually is…
Lastly, this is a slot canyon. Do not enter if it has recently rained, or if it is forecast to rain.
Hiking Bull Valley Gorge
Distance / Elevation Gain - Approximately 1 mile (out-and-back or loop) / 100ft
Bull Valley Gorge Trailhead
The trailhead for Bull Valley Gorge is obvious from the road, in addition to it being right next to the bridge over the canyon.
Skutumpah Road Bridge - Where a truck went off the road and ended up in Bull Valley Gorge
You may have seen / heard there is a truck wedged in a canyon in Escalante. It’s here, at Bull Valley Gorge, and it’s right next to the bridge. You don’t need to walk very far to see it, in fact you can see it from standing on top of the bridge. In the photo above, you can just see a tire sticking out, about halfway up the picture. The bridge is Skutumpah Road.
The picture below is from the bridge, with a magnified lens (it’s not this easy to see it with just your eyes).
There’s differing information that I’ve read about this truck and how it ended up here, so I’m not sure what is accurate. The people in the truck did not survive the accident. Their bodies were successfully recovered, but the truck is too large to get out, so it’s remained here in Bull Valley Gorge since 1954.
Truck remains within Bull Valley Gorge
For anyone going into the canyon, there is a kiosk for hikers to check in and out. This is common in back country, and it’s both for your safety and to understand how many people are out here using the trail.
Trailhead kiosk - check-in for your own safety
It’s about a half mile from the trailhead to a spot that’s safe to enter the canyon. Eventually, the canyon walls shorten almost all the way down to the ground. At the trailhead though, this is a tall, steep gorge. The trail runs right along the edge of the canyon.
Top of Bull Valley Gorge
I’ve included a few pictures of the trail, so parents of young children can understand why this isn’t their hike yet; wait a few years. The trail is right at the edge, and the ground has some slippery loose rocks in spots. This would not be a good place to fall. Be careful!
Sketchy trail along the top of Bull Valley Gorge
Another picture of the trail. It’ gets better the further you go, but that beginning stretch was scary.
Hiking to the beginning of the Bull Valley Gorge Slot Canyon
I didn’t venture this close to the edge, but my husband stopped in one spot to take pictures into the gorge. The canyon walls were high enough that my stomach still hurts to just look at this picture.
Peering into Bull Valley Gorge
I’ve given a lot of reasons why not to hike this trail. Now I’ll show the opposing argument. Look at how beautiful Bull Valley Gorge is after just a short distance on the trail. Sketchy sections are over. The trail has now flattened out significantly. This is imposing terrain, but intimidating spaces can still be inspiring.
Bull Valley Gorge
Based on how high the canyon walls are at the start of the trail, it’s hard to imagine how there could be a spot to enter the canyon. I was skeptical while hiking. But about a half mile from the trailhead, the canyon just sort of disappears. It’s not marked on the trail, but it’s pretty obvious when it’s safe to walk into the canyon.
Bull Valley Gorge flattens out at the slot canyon entrance
We cheated a little bit and scaled down a short wall to enter a bit before the canyon ends.
Entering Bull Valley Gorge
Looking back down the canyon, the whole thing somehow just ends.
Hiking into Bull Valley Gorge
The first big obstacle is a few steps into the canyon. There was a rope present for us to use. I wasn’t happy about how frayed the rope was, but the drop wasn’t far. We could have gotten down fine without it, getting back without it would have taken some family teamwork.
First rope assist along Bull Valley Gorge
Looking back up at where we just dropped from. There are similar drops in Peekaboo and Spooky Gulch without ropes. The biggest difference between these slot canyons isn’t the difficulty. It’s that there is no one else around in Bull Valley Gorge. Peekaboo and Spooky Gulch are crawling with other people that can potentially help, or get help, or can just tell you trail conditions up ahead. It’s a much different feeling when you are on your own and aren’t 100% sure what’s up ahead.
Impossible to return on a one-way hike without the presence of a rope
The inside of Bull Valley Gorge isn’t very colorful, but the walls are full of fun shapes.
Exploring Bull Valley Gorge
There are lots of large tree trunks in Bull Valley Gorge, from all of the pine trees above the canyon.
Easy obstacles within Bull Valley Gorge
It’s amazing how fast the walls of the canyon rise with just a few turns.
Hiking through Bull Valley Gorge
The next obstacle kind of looks like a beaver dam with all of the logs jammed together. We were able to get over this one in both directions by just helping each other holding hands and passing phones and backpacks.
Much harder obstacle, but a rope wasn’t necessary to return over it
The rest of the canyon is really cool. It’s deep, but some sections are narrow and dark, and other parts widen out and let in a lot of light.
Bull Valley Gorge
It’s not apparent in the pictures, but there is mud everywhere. For the most part, we were able to step around it, however there was one misstep I made that landed me up to my ankles. I always have another pair of shoes or sandals I can change into when I get to the car for moments such as this.
Bull Valley Gorge
This canyon is amazing. Although we didn’t end up going very far in it, it was a fun place to explore.
Scrambling through Bull Valley Gorge
We hiked about a third of the way through the canyon, going back towards the trailhead from below.
Bull Valley Gorge in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Eventually the canyon narrowed to a tight spot. There was a rock and a big drop, and it was clear there was mud below, and we didn’t know how deep the mud was. There was a bolt up high in the wall and no rope. And we could not figure out how to get our rope up to that bolt.
At the bottom of Bull Valley Gorge
That drop would have been the point of no return. We would have needed to commit to scrambling through the rest of the canyon, just assuming we’d be able to make it through. We did talk with Park Rangers before the hike. They told us to bring rope and that it was muddy. It was muddy, and we clearly needed to use our rope, but weren’t sure how. I wish I’d asked the Rangers more obvious questions - like - how would one expect to use a rope in this canyon... We could have used it to lower 3 of us down from above, and then those at the bottom could have caught the fourth person.
We had another problem though. As typical, I had planned way too much to do in one day - the first day of our June 2025 summer vacation. We’d already been to Zebra Canyon, and I still wanted to go to Willis Creek Slot Canyon before we needed to get our tent set up at Bryce Canyon National Park (which is significantly easier to do when there’s a little bit of daylight left). So, we didn’t really have time to deal with an unnecessary obstacle, and we weren’t sure how deep the mud would be the rest of the way, and we turned around here. Or you could argue we simply chickened out - we did. Or maybe it was the universe, conspiring to have us urgently get to Willis Creek. There were two hikers we ended up finding that needed water. This rope missing in the wall resulted in us running into them quicker.
Bull Valley Gorge
I was frustrated, but I’m happy we turned around when we did. And I’m still glad we chose to explore this canyon even though we didn’t make it all the way through. If I were re-planning this day, knowing that coming to Bull Valley Gorge would mean we wouldn’t get to hike the full Willis Creek Slot Canyon hike due to time limitations, I’d probably pick just hiking at Willis Creek. But I’m still pleased we got to experience as much as of Bull Valley Gorge as we did.
I’m not sure if I would actually recommend this canyon to others, beyond peering over the bridge to look at the truck, but I think the whole point of exploring Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is to choose your own adventure. Hopefully our story and pictures can help you plan yours.
Our turn around spot - about a third of the way through Bull Valley Gorge
Climbing back out of Bull Valley Gorge.
Hiking back to the slot canyon entrance
“Nearby” Things to Do
As mentioned, Grand Staircase-Escalante is huge. Although there are a lot of great hikes, trailheads are pretty spread out. So, when I say “nearby” - it’s a bit relative… The following places to visit are within a two-hour drive.
Willis Creek Slot Canyon
6 minutes - The trailhead to Willis Creek Slot Canyon is 6 minutes away, and you will have passed it along Skutumpah Road on your way to Bull Valley Gorge. Willis Creek Slot Canyon is an easy, shaded slot canyon with minimal change in elevation, and has stunning, tall, and colorful walls. This is an out-and-back hike for as long as you’d like. The max hike is 6 miles long.
Kodachrome Basin State Park
30 minutes - You will also pass Kodachrome Basin State Park on your way out to the Bull Valley Gorge trailhead. This State Park has some of the same types of hoodoos that are found as Bryce Canyon National Park, although they are not as dramatic, nor are there as many. It’s a fun park to explore, and much quieter than its nearby National Park.
Bryce Canyon National Park
45 minutes - Bull Valley Gorge is actually closer to Bryce Canyon National Park than the town of Escalante. Bryce is northwest a short distance off US-12, along US-63. Bryce Canyon has some amazing viewpoints, but the best parts of this park involve some difficult hikes. I would recommend staying in Bryce Canyon City, or camp in Bryce Canyon or Kodachrome Basin, and you could visit Bull Valley Gorge without needing to switch lodging. Bryce Canyon on its own is worth 1-2 days, at least.
Lower Calf Creek Falls
90 minutes - The trailhead to Lower Calf Creek Falls is about 90 minutes northeast of Bull Valley Gorge. If you are staying near Kodachrome or Bryce, this would be a full day trip between the drive and a 6-mile hike. US-12 is a beautiful highway, and the waterfall is impressive, but there are so many other things to do though that are closer to Lower Calf Creek. I would recommend switching lodging and either move to Escalante, or hike Lower Calf Creek Falls on your way to Capitol Reef National Park (2.5 hours away).
Anasazi State Park Museum
1 hour 45 minutes - For anyone heading to Capitol Reef National Park, Anasazi State Park Museum is an interesting, quick stop, also off of UT-12. Just outside of the museum, there is a six-room dwelling replica constructed on the original site.
Long Canyon
2 hours - The trailhead is quite a bit off of UT-12. It’s a really easy and short hike through a slot canyon, but the slot canyon isn’t that deep, and I don’t think it was worth the drive out this far.
Hole-in-the-Rock Road
The following trailheads are located along Hole-in-the-Rock Road. Escalante is the best place to stay if you want to visit both Bull Valley Gorge and any of the following trails:
Zebra Canyon
85 minutes (Hole-in-the-Rock Road) - The trail to Zebra Slot Canyon is a relatively easy 5.25 mile out-and-back hike through gorgeous desert backcountry. Most of this trail is entirely exposed to the sun. Hiking to Tunnel Slot Canyon adds 1.8 miles. Hike early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat, bring 4L of water per person, pre-download a GPS map, and be prepared to get wet inside Zebra. Water shoes are helpful inside the canyon.
Devil’s Garden
90 minutes (Hole-in-the-Rock Road) - Devil’s Garden is located 4 miles down Hole-in-the-Rock Road from the Zebra Canyon Trailhead. Devil’s Garden isn't so much a formal hike, it's rather a place to explore with a beautiful arch. The trails crisscross throughout this park, so just enjoy. There are vault toilets to use here as well, if you are looking for nearby bathrooms.
Twenty Mile Wash Dinosaur Trackway
1 hour and 45 minutes (Hole-in-the-Rock Road) - The turnoff for Twenty Mile Wash Dinosaur Trackway is 2 miles further along Hole-in-the-Rock Road, past Devil’s Garden. Turn right onto Left Hand Collet Cyn Road and follow for 2.5 miles. For anyone interested in finding some dinosaur footprints, this is a quick place to explore. The Sauropod footprints (big round circles) are easy to spot. There are also some Therapod footprints (3-toed), but these are harder to find.
Peekaboo and Spooky Gulch Slot Canyons (Dry Forks Narrows and Brimstone Gulch)
2 hours (Hole-in-the-Rock-Road) - The Upper Dry Forks Trailhead is located 10 miles further along Hole-in-the-Rock Road from the turnoff for Left Hand Collet Cynn Road. This is a fun and challenging 4.6-mile loop hike through 3 slot canyons (Dry Forks Narrows, Peekaboo, and Spooky Gulch). Add Brimstone Gulch for an additional 3.6 miles.
Kanab, Utah
2 hours - Kanab, Utah, is 2 hours southwest of Bull Valley Gorge. Switch lodging to visit Kanab and plan to spend a few days. Kanab is a smart place to set up basecamp for a trip to Zion National Park, just 35 minutes away from Zion’s east entrance. There are several other fun and less crowded places to hike nearby, as well.
Toadstool Hoodoos
2 hours - Toadstool Hoodoos (also part of Grand Staircase-Escalante) are located 2 hours southeast of Bull Valley Gorge. The best place to stay to visit the hoodoos is either Kanab, Utah, or Page, Arizona. The hike out-and-back to Toadstool Hoodoos is about 1.8 miles long, depending on how far one explores the hoodoos. There is minimal elevation change, parking is right off of the highway. This trail does not have shade. Bring extra water.
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