Wire Pass Trail (Buckskin Gulch access)

Family Road Trip: Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park and Wire Pass // Kanab, UT, Episode 6

Our family of 5's first road trip since deciding to travel to all 50 states! On day 7 of our trip, we visited Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park and Wire Pass trail at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument near Kanab, UT. Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is about 20 minutes west of Kanab and is about 3700 acres. It is known for large sand dunes created from the erosion of nearby sandstone canyons.

Wire Pass trailhead is located in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument west of Kanab. It is a 1.7 mile easy hike that connects to Buckskin Gulch, which is the longest slot canyon in the Southwest.Wire Pass requires a self pay permit that is $6 per person or dog for adults and children over 12 years old. Wire Pass also connects to the Wave trail. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) restricts access to the wave down to 20 permits per day. The only way to obtain a Wave permit is through a lottery drawing. The lottery costs $5 for each attempt. 10 permits are award online through BLM's website and 10 permits are awarded in person at the Kanab BLM visitor center. The Wave gained popularity from being featured as a desktop landscape wallpaper for Windows 7. We were not able to hike to the Wave on this trip, but we hope to try our luck with the Wave lottery next time we visit Utah.

Paria Canyon/Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness - A Lasting Legacy

In Utah, the spectacular Paria Canyon/Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness Area is about 45 miles east of Kanab. The Wilderness area encompasses 112,000 acres of redrock canyons and upthrust fault mountains.

Coyote Buttes is a Special Management Area of the Paria Canyon/Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. It has become one of the most popular destinations for many people visiting the Colorado Plateau. It is colorful but fragile Navajo Sandstone slickrock. The attraction is the thin ledges that swirl in wild contours of color and stone that are Coyotte Buttes Northvery brittle and breakable. It has grown as an attraction over the years due to the many published photographs and other media coverage of this small area. Nature has fully used its imagination to converge with the appreciation of our individual minds in all their variety of thought and wonder.

Before highways and railways, before pioneers, even before Columbus...the land we know as the United States was truly a vast wilderness. To protect these last remaining areas, in 1984, Congress created the Paria Canyon/Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness. Coyote Buttes' outstanding scenery, desert wildlife, colorful history, and opportunities for primitive recreation will remain free from the influence of man and are protected in this condition for future generations. Its 112,000 acres beckon adventurers who yearn for solitude, scenic splendor, and the chance to explore one of the most beautiful geologic formations in the world.

Learn about permits for this area


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Hiking Willis Creek Slot Canyon - Amazing hike!

Willis Creek Slot Canyon in Cannonville, Utah - a family/kid friendly hike
More pictures:
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Distance Round Trip: 2.6 miles to complete the 5 narrows / 4.8 if you complete the canyon
Elevation Gain: ~ 300 ft (it's mostly flat)

Slot canyons are amazing! And Willis Creek is a great first slot canyon if you've never been in one. This canyon is a perfect side-trip if you are passing through and need a break from Bryce Canyon, or any of the other National Parks nearby. It's an easy, relatively flat hike and requires no acrobatics, rappelling or other complicated feats to access. Simply park at the trailhead and walk right in -- you'll hit the first of 5 narrows in no time. Each successive section gets a bit narrower and taller as you go, and depending on the water levels you may find it harder and harder to keep your feet dry. Be prepared and bring some nice sturdy waterproof boots, or river-walking sandals if you have them!!!

The trailhead for Willis Creek is a bit remote and is a few miles out on a dusty dirt track that passes through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Be sure to drop in at the Visitor Center in Cannonville, Utah to check road conditions and get some helpful tips before you head onwards:

DIRECTIONS:

From the Visitors Center, simply turn right and head down Kodachrome Road. After about 2.8 miles you'll see a dirt road branching off to the right -- it's well marked with a sign reading Skutumpah Road, but can be easy to miss if you are driving too fast. Turn right onto the dirt road and follow it for another 6.3 miles to a clearly marked trailhead. If you look closely at the Google Maps link I'll place at the end, you can see there are a few additional roads branching off along the way. None of these look even remotely friendly, especially if you aren't in a 4WD vehicle, so don't worry too much about getting lost and just use common sense to guide your way. We made the whole trip safely in a Hyundai Accent and there was only one section that gave us pause: just past halfway you'll cross a small dam and there may be some water collected in the roadway. The water wasn't an issue, but we did scrape our nose slightly crossing the dam. Other than that, a few steep, curvy sections are all that stand in your way. Take it slow and you'll be fine -- but definitely don't drive this road if it's even a little bit muddy though…even a tank would have difficulty reaching the trail in wet weather!!!

Check out this link for the driving route from the Visitor Center to the trailhead:
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(Branded) 1118 S. Kane Dr., Kanab, UT - Real Estate Video

MLS#: 1405187

Beautiful home with everything you can think of and more. Every detail planned to the last electrical outlet for Christmas lights. Split bedroom floor plan arranged so the north end of the home can be private for a mother-in-laws quarters or guests quarters for their privacy and yours. The third bathroom is also placed in a location that can double as a mud room as you come from the garden or taking care of the horses at the corals and the barn.

Type: Residential
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 3
Levels: 1
Sq. Ft.: 2,920
Lot Acreage: 2.76
Lot Dimensions: 182.23X501.05X212.14X487.87
Lot Sq. Ft.: 120226
Garage Spaces: 2
Carport Spaces: 0
Exterior: Stucco
Roof: Tile
Air Conditioning: Evap Cooler, Refrigerated Air
Heating: Furnace, Gas Log, Propane
Style: 1 story above ground, Southwest

Features:
220 Volt Outlets
Access- All Year
Barn
Ceiling Fans
Corrals
Den/Office
Dishwasher
Fenced Part
Fireplace- Gas
Floors- Tile
Garbage Disposal
Garden Area
Gutters & Downspouts
Handicap Features
Horse Property
Hot Tub- Jacuzzi
Landscape- Full
Lawn
Microwave
Mother-in-law Apt.
Out Buildings
Outdoor Lighting
Oven-range electric
Oven-range propane
Patio: Covered
Porch
Refrigerator
Sidewalks
Sprinkler Drip System
Storage Shed(s)
Trees
View of City
View of Mountains
View of Valley
W/D Hookups
Walk-in Closets
Washer & Dryer
Water Filter System
Water Heater
Wheelchair access
Window Coverings

Utilities:
Assessments Paid
Culinary Water- City
Garbage Collection
Internet- Satellite
Legal Access
On Septic System
Phone
Plumbed for Propane
Power- Electric
Propane
Propane Available
Underground Tank

Year Built: 2004
Year Remodeled: 0

Subdivision: Kanab Creek Ranchos
Area Name: Kanab
Zoning: Horse Property, Residential

Listing Office: ERA Utah Properties
Last Updated: 2/19/13

Trip Summary 24 - Flagstaff & Stateline Campground (Arizona/Utah Border)