The hike is roughly 3.8 to 4 miles round trip, and for a good chunk of that, the creek itself is the trail.
We started out walking on a dusty path alongside Kanarra Creek. But as we hiked further in, the towering red canyon walls slowly began to rise up and close in around us, swallowing the dirt trail entirely. From that point on, we were just wading right up the middle of the creek.
Stepping into the actual slot canyon was breathtaking. We had worried it might feel a bit claustrophobic, but it wasn’t too narrow at all. We could walk comfortably side-by-side, splashing through the low, cool water. The way the sunlight filtered down and bounced off the twisting orange and red sandstone walls was almost hypnotic. It was so peaceful just listening to the water echoing off the rock.
Eventually, we waded around a bend and came face-to-face with the end of the main canyon: a beautiful waterfall rushing over a boulder, with a tall metal ladder bolted to the rock right next to it.
Climbing up a wet ladder next to a waterfall was definitely a thrill. Once we reached the top of the ladder, the adventure wasn't quite over. Immediately after, there was a secondary, smaller waterfall pouring over a boulder that we had to scramble up. There was a rope left behind by previous hikers, which made pulling ourselves up the wet rock much easier. Once we got past that little obstacle, the walls briefly widened out before narrowing into a second stunning stretch of slot canyon. We waded through that upper section for a while, soaking in the silence, before finally turning around to head back the way we came.
Looking back on it, it was an absolutely perfect day, but it’s a hike we did with a lot of respect for nature. You cannot talk about slot canyons without talking about flash floods. We checked the weather reports obsessively before our hike, and we checked again with the official attendants when they scanned our permits. A storm miles away can send a wall of water through those narrow walls with zero warning. If there is even a hint of rain in the forecast, you do not go in. Thankfully, our day was clear, the water was cool, and the canyon was beautiful. It was easily one of the most memorable hikes we have ever done.