This hike involves a scenic cable car ride and optional hiking through tunnels carved into the mountains, remnants from WWII. Read more: Hiking the Lagazuoi Tunnels in the Dolomites This is a quick and easy hike, just 4 km (2.5 miles) long. Zebra Canyon and Tunnel Slot: One of the coolest geological features found on the Colorado Plateau are slot canyons, and there are some great ones in south central Utah. The hike is 8.5 miles round trip, but these slot canyons are as good as you will find. Tunnel Slot is located down Harris Wash about 20 minutes away from Zebra. If you have plans to do this, get information at the BLM Visitor Center in Escalante before you get here. We chose to skip Tunnel Slot and continue down Hole-in-the-Rock Road to Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Gulches. To get back to your car, return the same way. Videos Of Going Through Tunnel in Tunnel Slot Canyon and Crossing Ice. The reason this is called Tunnel Slot is because the canyon narrows to a narrow oval shape that you need to walk through. The problem is that this is usually filled up with water that can be at least up to the top of your legs.

I think I found my new favorite place to hike, photograph and explore; The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM). It’s a huge area of land on the Utah and Arizona Border. From my brief adventures to the Devils Garden, Old Paria and Coyote Buttes I have a great admiration for the area and look forward to future trips here. The week I traveled deep into the GSENM to Zebra and Tunnel Slot canyons.

From the parking area (directions below) you head East onto a well traveled trail that takes you about 2 miles in to the edge of Harris wash. From hear it becomes your choice; head up the wash to Zebra Slot, or head down towards Tunnel slot. I chose Zebra first because I was really excited to climb into it, but I was curious to find some Moqui Marbles. Moqui Marbles are these amazing rocks that are like natures M&Ms. The chocolate coating is lava rock and the center is sandstone. I read about them while researching this hike and are supposed to have spiritual qualities.(Zebra Slot, Left)

I made my way slowly up the very sandy Harris Wash and made it to the entrance to Zebra Slot. I was looking forward to hiking deep into the slot canyon, but quickly realized that was out of the question. Zebra Slot was full of water, up to my chest before I decided to back out. I didn’t think to bring a dry bag for camera equipment. I wasn’t expecting water, especially this much. So I stashed my gear and waded back into the slot even further. More water and narrowing of the canyon, deflated I headed towards Tunnel Slot.(Harris Wash, Right)

Tunnel Slot Hike Games

I hadn’t planned to hike to Tunnel Slot when embarked today but after the Zebra I was fired up. About a mile down the wash I barely spotted a small cairn on the left side of the wash leading me up a side canyon. The canyon floor was soaked with water and I feared the worst ahead. As I reached the entrance to Tunnel Slot I was ready to get wet again. The cool part of Tunnel Slot is that it’s only about 100ft long, so wading into the water was less of a mystery than Zebra was. I could see the light at the end of the tunnel so to speak… A really interesting Slot canyon, a very narrow opening at the top and a wide tunnel where flood water flow through. Making my way through Tunnel slot the Canyon started to open back up. Time to head back to the other side of the slot canyon and sat down for a quick snack before hiking the 3 miles back to the car. (Tunnel Slot, Left)

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-Jon

Tunnel Slot Hike Trail

Directions: From Escalante, Utah, take the main road, Highway 12, east through Escalante. The road will head in a southeastern direction. Follow Hwy 12 for five miles, and as the highway makes a left curve, the unpaved Hole in the Rock Road will be on the right side of the road. From here you will head southeast on the unpaved Hole in the Rock Road for approximately 8 miles. Turn right into a small dirt lot, no official trailhead for tunnel or zebra slot canyons, but a well traveled trail can be found a crossed the road to the eat.

Youtube Video:

Tunnel Slot Hike Grand Staircase

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