Would you like to wind your way through a wonder of geological erosion? You should check out the slot canyons of Utah. A great example is Cottonwood Wash in Capitol Reef National Park. The wash meanders through pretty rock formations and grows increasingly narrow and vertical, which means increasingly interesting, as you progress.

The upper reaches offer several different routes through, some of which can include fun boulder hopping. Along the way, you see the results of thousands of years of erosive action in reddish hued rock walls, winding upward to higher reaches of gravity. This is a fun hike to explore around, and it’s hard to get lost in a slot canyon like this one!

Cottonwood Wash in Capitol Reef National Park slot canyon

Cottonwood Wash slot canyon



Cottonwood Wash in Capitol Reef National Park boulder climbing

Climbing boulders in Cottonwood Wash



Cottonwood Wash Capitol Reef National Park slot canyon

Hiking through Cottonwood Wash