Shelf Canyon
Short, straight canyon with vertical cliffs and a sandy floor, narrowing to a slot then ending abruptly below a jagged wall. A tributary of Pine Creek
Length: 0.4 miles
Difficulty: Easy, though contains pools after wet weather
Management: NPS - within Zion National Park
Rocks: Navajo sandstone
Season: All year
Trailhead: Pullout along Hwy 9
Rating (1-5): ★★★★★
Difficulty: Easy, though contains pools after wet weather
Management: NPS - within Zion National Park
Rocks: Navajo sandstone
Season: All year
Trailhead: Pullout along Hwy 9
Rating (1-5): ★★★★★
Shelf Canyon, an unofficial name, is one of over a dozen short tributaries of Pine Creek or Clear Creek, along Hwy 9 on the east side of Zion National Park, and it forms a short section of dark narrows, explored by an easy, one-way hike of less than half a mile. Shelf is the second little drainage east of the Zion-Mt Carmel Tunnel, on the north side of the highway, and is enclosed from the start, initially with boulders, bushes and sandbanks, then becoming narrower, ending at a wall of ledges, or shelves, hence the name. The passageways are very similar to Spencer Canyon in the Escalante area, though that drainage is rather longer.
The rocks are the ever-present Navajo Sandstone, here dark gray to dark red in color - generally rather dull and almost never illuminated by the sun just a tall parking overhanging walls and the north-south orientation, hence the passageways or not very pretty hello light levels make it hard to photograph effectively. Still, the canyon is a good choice for an introduction to slot canyon hiking, containing just a few minor obstacles, little falls and climbs, and possibility of a pool towards the upper end. All can be seen in half an hour at most. There are many footprints in the soft sand of the canyon floor indicating the place is explored quite frequently.
The mouth of Shelf Canyon is immediately east of the parking area for the Canyon Overlook Trail, a busy area, often with no spaces; the next nearest options are long several verges and pullouts, further east along the road. The canyon is entered by a path on the east side, down to the sandy floor, which is initially wide enough for bushy mounds at either side. Upstream are a few minor rises, over ledges or boulders; one, a slickrock slope, has a short bypass path on the right, not really necessary. The canyon narrows, still containing a few trees in the streambed, then becomes a proper slot, and quite dark because the sheer, parallel walls are somewhat angled away from vertical. After a some boulders, and benches, requiring a little climbing, the drainage ends in an enclosed basin with a ledgy wall ahead, possibly climbable.
The rocks are the ever-present Navajo Sandstone, here dark gray to dark red in color - generally rather dull and almost never illuminated by the sun just a tall parking overhanging walls and the north-south orientation, hence the passageways or not very pretty hello light levels make it hard to photograph effectively. Still, the canyon is a good choice for an introduction to slot canyon hiking, containing just a few minor obstacles, little falls and climbs, and possibility of a pool towards the upper end. All can be seen in half an hour at most. There are many footprints in the soft sand of the canyon floor indicating the place is explored quite frequently.
Topographic Map of Shelf Canyon
The Canyon
The mouth of Shelf Canyon is immediately east of the parking area for the Canyon Overlook Trail, a busy area, often with no spaces; the next nearest options are long several verges and pullouts, further east along the road. The canyon is entered by a path on the east side, down to the sandy floor, which is initially wide enough for bushy mounds at either side. Upstream are a few minor rises, over ledges or boulders; one, a slickrock slope, has a short bypass path on the right, not really necessary. The canyon narrows, still containing a few trees in the streambed, then becomes a proper slot, and quite dark because the sheer, parallel walls are somewhat angled away from vertical. After a some boulders, and benches, requiring a little climbing, the drainage ends in an enclosed basin with a ledgy wall ahead, possibly climbable.
Shelf Canyon - Similar Hikes
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