Canyoning, also known as canyoneering in the United States, is the ultimate adventure sport for thrill-seekers who love to push their limits. It combines hiking, climbing, rappelling, and swimming to navigate through narrow canyons carved by nature’s relentless forces.
The US, with its diverse landscapes, provides some of the world’s most spectacular canyoning opportunities. This guide explores 20 of the best canyoning adventures in the country.
Zion National Park, Utah
Zion National Park is the mecca of canyoneering in the US. The Narrows, a 16-mile gorge with walls up to 1,000 feet tall, offers a unique wading experience through the Virgin River.
For a more technical adventure, the Subway route combines rappelling, swimming, and scrambling through a tube-like canyon that will leave you in awe.
Grandstand Canyon, Moab
Moab is a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, and its canyons are no exception. Entrajo Canyon offers a perfect introduction to technical canyoneering with its series of rappels and stunning sandstone formations.
For the more experienced, Negro Bill Canyon provides a challenging full-day adventure with multiple rappels and swims.
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Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
While most visitors admire the Grand Canyon from the rim, canyoneers have the privilege of exploring its hidden depths.
Cement Springs Canyon offers a thrilling descent with towering rappels and crystal-clear pools – it’s like stepping into a secret world within one of America’s most famous landmarks.
Death Valley National Park, California
Don’t let the name fool you; Death Valley is teeming with life and adventure for canyoneers. Styx Canyon, with its polished marble walls and technical challenges, offers an otherworldly experience.
It’s like traversing an alien landscape right here on Earth.
Ouray, Colorado
Known as the ‘Switzerland of America,’ Ouray boasts some of the best ice canyoning in the country during winter months. Portland Creek offers a unique opportunity to rappel down frozen waterfalls and navigate through ice-covered canyons – a true test of skill and nerve.
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Lake Powell, Arizona/Utah
The canyons around Lake Powell offer a perfect blend of technical canyoneering and refreshing swims. Cholera Canyon, despite its uninviting name, is a favorite among enthusiasts for its series of rappels ending in deep, cool pools – nature’s waterpark for the adventurous.
Breaks Interstate Park, Virginia/Kentucky
Known as the ‘Grand Canyon of the South,’ Breaks Interstate Park offers unique canyoning opportunities in the Appalachian Mountains. The Russell Fork Gorge provides a challenging adventure with its tight passages and beautiful waterfalls, showcasing the raw beauty of the Eastern woodlands.
Slide Rock State Park, Arizona
While not as technical as some other destinations, Slide Rock State Park offers a fun introduction to canyoning. Oak Creek Canyon features natural water slides and pools carved into the red rocks, perfect for families and beginners looking to dip their toes into the world of canyoning.
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Cummins Falls State Park, Tennessee
Cummins Falls offers a blend of hiking and canyoning that’s accessible to a wide range of skill levels. The journey to the 75-foot waterfall involves wading through the river and navigating rock formations, providing a taste of canyoning without the need for technical gear.
Watkins Glen State Park, New York
The Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen is a captivating introduction to canyoning in the Northeast. While it doesn’t require technical skills, the trail takes you through a spectacular canyon with 19 waterfalls, stone bridges, and winding pathways carved into the rock – it’s like stepping into a fairytale landscape.
Ausable Chasm, New York
Known as the ‘Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks,’ Ausable Chasm offers a variety of canyoning experiences. The Adventure Trail combines rock climbing, edge walking, and rope traversing above the rushing waters of the Ausable River, providing a thrilling experience in a prehistoric sandstone gorge.
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Starved Rock State Park, Illinois
Starved Rock might surprise you with its canyoning potential in the heart of the Midwest. The park’s 18 canyons, formed by glacial meltwater, offer scenic hikes with opportunities for light scrambling and waterfall exploration.
St. Louis Canyon, with its stunning waterfall, is a highlight for budding canyoneers.
Tallulah Gorge State Park, Georgia
Tallulah Gorge offers a unique canyoning experience in the Southeast. The Hurricane Falls Trail takes adventurers down a series of staircases and across a suspension bridge spanning the 1,000-foot-deep canyon.
For the truly adventurous, a limited number of permits are issued for exploring the gorge floor, where you can wade through the river and scramble over boulders.
Waipio Valley, Hawaii
For a tropical twist on canyoning, Waipio Valley on the Big Island of Hawaii offers unforgettable adventures. The valley’s streams and waterfalls provide opportunities for rappelling and swimming through lush, jungle-like terrain.
It’s like canyoning in a real-life Jurassic Park (minus the dinosaurs, of course).
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Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park may be known for its peaks, but its canyons offer equally impressive adventures. The Roaring River provides a challenging canyoneering route with technical rappels and stunning alpine scenery.
It’s a chance to experience the Rockies from a completely different perspective.
Ricketts Glen State Park, Pennsylvania
Ricketts Glen State Park offers a unique canyoning experience in the Northeastern US. The Falls Trail takes you past 21 named waterfalls, with opportunities for scrambling and wading. While not technically difficult, it provides a beautiful introduction to the sport in a lush, forested setting.
Pinnacles National Park, California
Pinnacles National Park, known for its unique rock formations, offers some interesting canyoning opportunities. Bear Gulch Cave Trail combines hiking with cave exploration, giving visitors a chance to navigate through narrow passages and over boulder-strewn creeks.
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Linville Gorge, North Carolina
Often called the ‘Grand Canyon of the East,’ Linville Gorge offers challenging canyoning adventures in a stunning setting. The descent into the gorge involves steep climbs, river crossings, and navigation through dense forest – a true wilderness experience in the Appalachian Mountains.
Subway Cave, California
For a unique volcanic canyoning experience, Subway Cave in Lassen National Forest offers the chance to explore a lava tube. While not technical, it provides an introduction to underground canyoning, with its smooth walls and arched roof resembling a subway tunnel.
Behunin Canyon, Utah
We’ll end our list where we started – in Utah. Behunin Canyon in Zion National Park offers a full-day advanced canyoneering adventure. With its long rappels (including one over 165 feet), stunning narrows, and technical challenges, it represents the pinnacle of canyoning in the US.
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Canyoning Adventures Await You in the U.S.
From the desert canyons of the Southwest to the forested gorges of the East, the United States has a diverse array of canyoning adventures for every skill level.
These 20 destinations represent just a fraction of the incredible opportunities available for those willing to venture off the beaten path and into the hidden wonders of America’s landscapes.
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