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East Zion · 3 to 4 hours · Three rappels
Zion Canyoneering Tour
The Elkheart trip from Mount Carmel, east of the park: a ride out by off-road vehicle, a hike to the top of a slot canyon and three rappels down through it with a guide. Canyoneering equipment included; moderate fitness; ages 8 and up.
Pick your canyon
Which Canyoneering Trip near Zion?
A Zion canyoneering tour means a guided half day or full day in a slot canyon outside the park, mostly on the east side around Orderville and Mount Carmel: inside Zion’s Wilderness no one may guide you. For a first time on the ropes, East Zion Adventures’ Elkheart trip is the one to book, from US$201 for an adult (checked November 2026): 3 to 4 hours from Mount Carmel, a hike to the top of the slot and three rappels down through it, with the gear included.
Orderville: East Zion UTV Ride and Red Rock Slot Canyon Hike
East Zion Adventures: 2 hours from Orderville, a UTV ride out to a red-rock slot canyon and a guided walk through it. Graded easy, no climbing, no ropes. Children from 4.
See the walk →East Zion Canyoneering: Elkheart Canyon & UTV Tour
East Zion Adventures: 3 to 4 hours from Mount Carmel, an off-road ride, a hike to the top of Elkheart and three rappels down through the slot. Moderate fitness; youth rates from 8.
Check dates →East Zion 4 Hour Slot Canyon Canyoneering UTV Tour
ROAM - East Zion: a Can-Am UTV to Coal Hollow slot canyon, a steep half-mile hike, then 6 to 7 rappels, mostly in Ladder Canyon. All the equipment provided; moderate fitness.
See the trip →Prices, ratings and review counts from the listings (GetYourGuide checked November 2026; Viator checked November 2026). Operators price by date and season, so treat the figures as the shape of the market, not a quote.
Want a full day, a private trip from Springdale, or no ropes at all? The canyons by name are in the table below, and half day or full day sets the lengths side by side.
- 5.0 / 5 559+ Reviews
- 3 to 4 hours Duration
- 3 rappels In Elkheart Canyon on East Zion Adventures' half day, with the canyoneering equipment included
- 39.4 km By road from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center to Mount Carmel Junction, the East Zion side where the trips meet
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Elkheart Trip Covers
From the meeting point in Mount Carmel to the last rappel and back.
Highlights
- A ride by off-road vehicle over the hills to a sandy wash below the canyon
- A hike up the red rock to the top of the slot canyon
- Three rappels: one into the canyon and two more through it, set up by the guide
- In fall and winter, bring hats, gloves and coats
- Not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health or who are pregnant
What's Included
- Canyoneering Equipment
Not Included: Gratuities
How a Half Day in Elkheart Runs
Meet in Mount Carmel, ride out, hike up, rappel down: 3 to 4 hours east of the park.
Meet in Mount Carmel
The meeting point is inside Sugar Knoll Chicken in Mount Carmel, east of the park; if the door is locked, the guide meets you in the parking lot.
Ride Out to the Wash
An off-road vehicle climbs over the hills and drops to a sandy wash below the canyon.
Hike to the Top, Harness Up
A walk up the red rock to the head of the slot canyon, where the guide sets up the ropes and you put on the harness.
Three Rappels Down the Slot
The first rappel takes you into the canyon and two more take you through it, between twisting walls. 3 to 4 hours in all; in fall and winter, bring a hat, gloves and a warm coat.
Photo Gallery
Slot Canyons East of Zion
Red and cream walls, sandy washes, ropes and the drops between them.
Book Your Experience
Check Elkheart Dates and Prices
The Elkheart canyoneering trip from Mount Carmel, east of the park: 3 to 4 hours, three rappels, equipment included. Dates, times and the live price open on its Viator page; free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
East Zion Adventures
East Zion Canyoneering: Elkheart Canyon & UTV Tour
- 5.0/5 from 559 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor
- 3 to 4 hours
- From US$201 per person (checked November 2026)
- Free cancellation: For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Plan the Canyon Day
Where the Canyons Are
The slot canyons near Zion on the map, and why the guided ones lie outside the park.
Prices are each page's featured tour: Viator checked November 2026. Tour prices on GetYourGuide and Viator are in US dollars; NPS permit fees are set by the National Park Service.
Four East Zion Canyon Trips Side by Side
Elkheart's three rappels, ROAM's 4-hour Coal Hollow trip, the Stone Hollow full day and the UTV slot-canyon walk with no ropes: length, where each meets, rappels, ages and price, with the month each figure was checked.
| Feature | THIS PAGE Elkheart, half day | Coal Hollow, 4 hours | Stone Hollow, full day | Slot-canyon walk and UTV, no rappelling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What You Pay | From US$201 per person (the adult rate, one option; ages 8 to 17 US$189.51; checked November 2026) | From US$159 a person (checked November 2026); one option, the same price for every age; up to 15 a booking | From US$259 a person (checked November 2026); adult rate, one option; ages 10 to 17 US$246.80; up to 6 a booking | From US$129 per person (checked November 2026) |
| Length | 3 to 4 hours | 4 hours | 7.5 hours | 2 hours |
| Where It Meets | Inside Sugar Knoll Chicken, Mount Carmel | ROAM's storefront off US 89, next to East Zion Resort | The recreation barn at Zion Ponderosa Resort | Orderville (listed location) |
| Rappels | Three | 6 to 7, after a steep half-mile hike | 10 (source: eastzionadventures.com, November 2026) | None: graded easy, no climbing |
| Ages and Fitness | Youth rates from 8; moderate fitness | Moderate fitness; one price for every age | Youth rates from 10; moderate fitness | Not for children under 4 |
| Group | Up to 5 a booking | Up to 15 a booking | Up to 6 a booking | At most 10 |
| Best For | A first rappelling half day in a slot | The most rappels in half a day | A whole day of rappels for the fit | Slot-canyon walls with no ropes at all |
| Check dates | See the trip | See the day | See the walk |
More East Zion Canyons
Other Canyoneering and Slot-Canyon Trips
Half days and full days with rappels, and a UTV ride with short walks, east of the park and in Springdale, on GetYourGuide and Viator.
4 RAPPELS, 2.5 HOURSEast Zion 2.5 Hour Slot Canyon Canyoneering UTV Tour
ROAM - East Zion's 2.5-hour version: a Can-Am UTV ride to Coal Hollow slot canyon, a steep half-mile hike, then 4 rappels through the bottom half of Ladder Canyon, pitched at young families and beginners. Same storefront off US 89; moderate fitness.
CORAL SANDSEast Zion: Coral Sands Half-day Canyoneering Tour
East Zion Adventures' 4.5-hour Coral Sands canyoneering half day, meeting at the desk in the Golf Pro Shop behind the Thunderbird Restaurant. Transport by air-conditioned vehicle; moderate fitness; youth rates for ages 12 to 17; up to 8 people a booking.
PRIVATE, SPRINGDALESpringdale: Half-Day Canyoneering Experience
Zion Guide Hub's private 4-hour canyoneering trip from Springdale: an instructor-guide, ropes, technical gear and helmets, and transport to a trailhead just outside Zion National Park, where the group hikes, climbs, squeezes through and rappels. No experience needed. Booked for two adults at least.
FULL DAYEast Zion: Stone Hollow Full-day Canyoneering Adventure
East Zion Adventures' 7.5-hour Stone Hollow full day, meeting at the desk in the recreation barn at Zion Ponderosa Resort. Helmets, ropes and the other canyoneering equipment included; gratuities extra. Moderate fitness; youth rates for ages 10 to 17; up to 6 people a booking.
FULL DAY, HIGH FITNESSEast Zion: Powell's Way Full-Day Canyoneering
East Zion Adventures' 6.5-hour Powell's Way full day, meeting in the Zion Mountain Ranch parking lot: off-roading, hiking and canyoneering, with helmets, ropes and equipment included. Lunch and water are not; a high level of fitness is needed. Youth rates for ages 12 to 17; up to 6 people a booking.
6 HOURSEast Zion Ultimate Slot Canyon Canyoneering UTV Adventure
ROAM - East Zion's 6-hour day in canyons reached through private property behind locked gates: a slot with Native American petroglyphs, a 30-minute hike and a rappel into a second slot, and rappels through Ladder Canyon beside Sugar Knoll. Harness, helmet, gloves, ropes and belay devices provided; bring lunch; everyone under 300 lbs.
UTV, NO RAPPELSAward Winning UTV Slot Canyon Tour
ROAM - East Zion's 2-hour UTV tour: guides drive you in Can-Am Defenders to Upper and Lower Red Cave slot canyons, with short walks in, about a quarter mile in all. No rappelling; suitable for all fitness levels. Gratuities extra.
Canyoneering near Zion
The Canyons, the Rappels and Where the Trips Meet
Every trip on this site by canyon, the reason they run outside the park, and the Elkheart half day in detail.
Where the guided canyons are
Zion’s rope canyons inside the park are in Wilderness, where NPS allows no guided or structured trips; a canyon there needs an NPS permit and your own skills. So the guided trips go to canyons outside the boundary. Red Desert Adventure, a canyoneering outfitter near Zion, puts it plainly: “all guided canyoneering takes place outside the boundaries of Zion National Park.” Zion Guide Hub's Springdale half day runs just outside the park because of National Park restrictions.
Most of the trips meet east of the park: in Orderville, in Mount Carmel, at Mount Carmel Junction and at Zion Ponderosa, which is 31.4 km by road from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center. ROAM’s longest trip goes to canyons reached through private property behind locked gates. Permit or guided tour explains the line between the two.
The canyons by name
| Canyon | Trip | Length | Rappels | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elkheart | Elkheart Canyon and UTV (East Zion Adventures) | 3 to 4 hours | Three | US$201 adult |
| Coal Hollow and Ladder Canyon | 2.5-hour slot canyon trip (ROAM - East Zion) | 2.5 hours | Four | US$136 |
| Coal Hollow and Ladder Canyon | 4-hour slot canyon trip (ROAM - East Zion) | 4 hours | 6 to 7 | US$159 |
| Coral Sands | Coral Sands half day (East Zion Adventures) | 4.5 hours | 5 (source: eastzionadventures.com, November 2026) | US$178 adult |
| Powell’s Way | Powell's Way full day (East Zion Adventures) | 6.5 hours | 4 to 5 (source: eastzionadventures.com, November 2026) | US$259 adult |
| Stone Hollow | Stone Hollow full day (East Zion Adventures) | 7.5 hours | 10 (source: eastzionadventures.com, November 2026) | US$259 adult |
| Private-land slots and Ladder Canyon | 6-hour canyoneering adventure (ROAM - East Zion) | 6 hours | Several, not counted | US$250 |
| A canyon just outside the park | Half-day canyoneering from Springdale (Zion Guide Hub) | 4 hours, private | Yes, not counted | US$210, two adults at least |
| Upper and Lower Red Cave | UTV slot canyon tour (ROAM - East Zion) | 2 hours | None: a UTV ride and short walks | US$104 |
| A red-rock slot near Orderville | UTV ride and slot-canyon walk (East Zion Adventures) | 2 hours | None: graded easy | US$129 |
Viator prices checked November 2026; GetYourGuide prices checked November 2026. “Adult” marks the trips with lower youth rates.
Elkheart, the trip on this page
The Elkheart trip meets inside Sugar Knoll Chicken in Mount Carmel, or in its parking lot if the door is locked. An off-road vehicle takes you over the hills to a sandy wash; you hike up the red rock to the top of a slot canyon, the guide sets up the ropes, and the first rappel takes you in. Two more rappels carry you down through the twisting canyon. The trip takes 3 to 4 hours, the canyoneering equipment is included, and gratuities are not.
It suits travellers with moderate fitness. It is not recommended for anyone with a spinal injury, poor cardiovascular health or a pregnancy. A booking takes 1 to 5 people, and adults pay US$201 while ages 8 to 17 pay US$189.51 (checked November 2026). In fall and winter, bring a hat, gloves and a coat. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start.
Shorter, longer, or no ropes
- No ropes: East Zion Adventures' UTV ride and slot-canyon walk is graded easy with no climbing, for children from 4, and ROAM - East Zion's UTV tour walks about a quarter mile into Upper and Lower Red Cave. East Zion UTV slot canyon tours compares them.
- More rappels in half a day: ROAM - East Zion's 4-hour Coal Hollow trip has 6 to 7.
- A private group from Springdale: Zion Guide Hub's half day is for your group alone, booked for two adults at least.
- A full day: Stone Hollow and Powell’s Way take 6.5 to 7.5 hours; Powell’s Way needs a high level of fitness.
Before you book
- Meeting points differ. Each trip meets at its own place east of the park, or in Springdale; check it before you set off: the east-side meeting points are 31 to 48 km by road from the Zion Canyon Visitor Center.
- Be on time. ROAM’s trips leave without anyone more than 15 minutes late. ROAM keeps Mountain Time, which it describes as an hour different from Las Vegas and Arizona.
- Weight and health. ROAM’s 6-hour trip asks that everyone be under 300 lbs; the rappelling trips are not recommended with a spinal injury, heart trouble or a pregnancy.
- Cancelling. The Viator trips here refund in full up to 24 hours before; Zion Guide Hub's half day up to 2 days before.
Three Rappels in an East Zion Slot
The Elkheart trip from Mount Carmel, east of the park: an off-road ride, a hike to the top of the canyon and three rappels down through it, gear included. 3 to 4 hours, up to 5 a booking. Starting from US$201 per person (the adult rate, one option; ages 8 to 17 US$189.51; checked November 2026).
Check dates on ViatorZion Canyoneering Tours: Questions
Where the guided canyons are, permits, experience, ages, half day or full day, and what a trip costs.
Not inside the park's Wilderness, which holds its rope canyons. NPS allows guided and structured activities only on frontcountry trails, and Red Desert Adventure, a canyoneering outfitter, says all guided canyoneering takes place outside the park's boundaries. The guided trips meet east of the park, in Orderville, Mount Carmel and at Zion Ponderosa, or in Springdale for a canyon just outside the park. See permit or guided tour.
Not on the guided trips outside the park; inside it, yes. NPS requires a permit for every canyon in Zion that needs ropes or descending gear. In ROAM Outdoor Adventure Co.'s words, its guided trips let participants “sidestep the complexities of the permit process”. If you want a canyon inside the park, you need the permit and your own skills.
Not for the half days. Zion Guide Hub's half-day canyoneering needs no previous experience, and ROAM - East Zion's 2.5-hour trip is aimed at young families and beginners. The full days ask more: East Zion Adventures' Powell's Way needs a high level of fitness. See canyoneering for beginners and families.
From US$136 a person for ROAM's 2.5-hour trip to US$259 for a full day (checked November 2026). East Zion Adventures' Elkheart half day is from US$201 for an adult. Gratuities are extra on the Elkheart, Stone Hollow and Powell's Way trips. See Zion canyoneering tour price.
2.5 to 4.5 hours for a half day, 6 to 7.5 hours for a full day. Elkheart takes 3 to 4 hours, ROAM's Coal Hollow trip 4 hours, and Stone Hollow 7.5 hours. See half day or full day.
Yes, on several. Elkheart has youth rates from 8, Stone Hollow from 10 and Coral Sands from 12; ROAM's 2.5-hour trip is aimed at young families and charges every age the same. For younger children, East Zion Adventures' UTV ride and slot-canyon walk takes children from 4, with no ropes.
Yes, the UTV trips. East Zion Adventures' UTV ride and slot-canyon walk from Orderville is graded easy with no climbing, from US$129 a person (checked November 2026); ROAM - East Zion's UTV tour walks about a quarter mile into Upper and Lower Red Cave. See East Zion UTV slot canyon tours.
It is a risk sport, and the trips say who should not go. The East Zion trips are not recommended for travellers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health or pregnancy, and some set weight limits (under 300 lbs on ROAM's 6-hour trip). For canyons inside the park, NPS reminds permit holders that a Wilderness permit does not provide a safety net.
Still have questions? Email us at info@zioncanyoneeringtour.com