Burro Wash Route
Burro Wash, Cottonwood Wash and Sheets Gulch are all classic slot canyons accessible via unmarked backcountry routes.
Plan Around Burro Wash Route
A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.
Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.
Burro Wash Route Details
Burro Wash, Cottonwood Wash and Sheets Gulch are all classic slot canyons accessible via unmarked backcountry routes. Although there may be a few rock cairns to point the way, hikers should nonetheless carry a topographic map, and use extreme caution in these narrow canyons during flash-flood season, typically July-September. These routes should only be attempted by experienced cross-country hikers. All three slot canyons are located within a few miles of each other and can be accessed via the Notom-Bullfrog Road. Beginning at the Notom-Bullfrog Road, Burro Wash and Cottonwood Wash can be done as long day hikes. The 3.4-mile Burro Wash route begins where the road crosses the wash and ends at an impassable pour-off. There's a trailhead parking area at Burro Wash; do not drive up the wash. The first few miles of each route cross BLM land, across sandy wash bottoms and surrounded by low hills, and each of the three slot canyons contain obstacles in the form of dry falls and "chock stones," large boulders wedged in narrow slots. All three canyons are also quite narrow in places, and will require most people to work their way through sideways or to wade through sometimes present pools of water.
Difficulty
High
Distance
3.4 miles
Estimated time
Region
N/A
Nearby Parks Around Burro Wash Route
Compare nearby parks around Burro Wash Route when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Burro Wash Route
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Burro Wash Route while the map context is still fresh.
1.1 mi away
Cottonwood Wash Route
Cottonwood Wash, Burro Wash and Sheets Gulch are all classic slot canyons accessible via unmarked backcountry routes.
4.2 mi away
Pioneer Register
About a half mile into the Capitol Gorge hike, visitors will come upon the Pioneer Register, a spot on the sandstone wall where early Mormon pioneers carved their names.
4.3 mi away
The Tanks
At the end of the Capitol Gorge Trail, hikers will come to the Tanks, a series of large potholes in the sandstone where erosion has carved pockets into the rock, which sometimes hold rainwater.
4.5 mi away
Capitol Gorge Trailhead
The Capitol Gorge trailhead lies at the end of a twisting dirt road (Capitol Gorge Road) connecting to the end of the Capitol Reef Scenic Drive.
4.6 mi away
Capitol Gorge Trail
Although only a 1-mile route (one-way) the easy Capitol Gorge Trail passes plenty of history in its short distance.
