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Willis Creek Narrows - 6 members in 13 triplogs have rated this an average 3.8 ( 1 to 5 best )
13 triplogs
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Mar 16 2025
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 Routes 386
 Photos 49
 Triplogs 792

43 female
 Joined Jun 23 2015
 Phoenix, AZ
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Mar 16 2025
emilystardust • Triplogs 792
Hiking5.66 Miles 579 AEG
Hiking5.66 Miles   2 Hrs   23 Mns   2.52 mph
579 ft AEG      8 Mns Break
 
no photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
First hike of the trip after stopping in Bryce to check out hoodoos in snow. The creek was frozen and very cool to walk over - definitely a highlight.
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Oct 18 2024
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 Guides 41
 Routes 1,626
 Photos 14,983
 Triplogs 2,760

69 male
 Joined Jan 20 2009
 Far NE Phoenix,
Bryce - Willis - Panorama, UT 
Bryce - Willis - Panorama, UT
 
Hiking avatar Oct 18 2024
The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760
Hiking14.54 Miles 1,904 AEG
Hiking14.54 Miles   6 Hrs   29 Mns   2.25 mph
1,904 ft AEG      2 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Sunrise Point to Sunset Point Rim Trail
Mossy Cave
Willis Creek Narrows
Panorama Trail
Partners partners
johnlp
trekkin_gecko
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Day 2 of 5 in Utah

Our second day of staying in one of the two cabins at Kodachrome State Park. Kelly made the great decision to book cabins for this trip. It worked out perfectly with the rain, thunder, cold, and high winds during the first three days.

Sunrise Point to Sunset Point Rim Trail
1.94 miles / 270 feet AEG

We had several hikes planned in Bryce National Park, but Mother Nature threw us a curveball. We arrived to find over 3 inches of snow, temperatures in the 20s, winds around 40 mph, and snow blowing and drifting. The road to the Bristlecone Trail was closed. So, we decided to head to the Rim Trail and check out the conditions. The trails were snowy, icy, and slippery with mud lower down.

We decided to skip the lower-elevation hikes and see how long we could handle the weather on the rim. After three very short hikes, we bailed to lower elevations.

Though we were upset we didn’t get to hike below the rim in Bryce, we felt lucky to see the park draped in snow.

[ youtube video ]
[ youtube video ]

Mossy Cave
2.08 miles / 479 feet AEG

Mossy Cave is worth a stop if you're in the area. The cave itself is unimpressive—more of an alcove—but the trails and surrounding landscape are much nicer than the "cave" itself. A hint of snow on the red rocks enhanced the views. We ventured upstream a bit before heading back.

Willis Creek Narrows
3.2 miles / 200 feet AEG

After lunch in Tropic at the IDK BBQ, we headed out to Willis Creek Narrows. We hiked out to Averett Canyon. It's a nice little slot canyon that you can explore for as long as you have time.

Panorama Trail
7.35 miles / 716 feet AEG

We started on the Panorama Trail, passed Ballerina Rock, made our way through Secret Passage, and then hurried to Cool Cave. Next, we went on to Panorama Point to check out the, well, panoramic views. Plenty of interesting formations make this a worthy hike in the state park.
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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry 🦅
  2 archives
Oct 18 2024
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 Guides 10
 Routes 673
 Photos 7,281
 Triplogs 4,660

67 female
 Joined Nov 17 2008
 phoenix, az
Bryce - Willis - Panorama, UT 
Bryce - Willis - Panorama, UT
 
Hiking avatar Oct 18 2024
trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,660
Hiking13.80 Miles 1,500 AEG
Hiking13.80 Miles
1,500 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Sunrise Point to Sunset Point Rim Trail
Mossy Cave
Willis Creek Narrows
Panorama Trail
Partners partners
johnlp
The_Eagle
thunderstorm and rain overnight at kodachrome, snow and high winds at bryce
we drove into the park and checked out the possibility of hiking fairyland loop
trail was icy and muddy, so we drove out to bryce point and took a few photos
decided to walk from sunset to sunrise point on the rim trail, which was ice covered but doable
went lower to wander around the mossy cave area
were able to drive on skutumpah road to willis creek
more water flowing than i've seen before, but we stayed mostly dry jumping the creek
nice little slot canyon
turned back at the first side canyon
lunch at idk bbq, then back to the bunkhouse
late afternoon we set out on the panorama loop in kodachrome basin state park
nice hike with a few side trips: secret passage, cool cave and panorama point
made the best of it given the weather, knew that was a possibility going in
_____________________
hazhole
  2 archives
Oct 18 2024
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 Guides 1
 Routes 14
 Photos 7,202
 Triplogs 5,208

68 male
 Joined Mar 16 2008
 chandler,az
Bryce - Willis - Panorama, UT 
Bryce - Willis - Panorama, UT
 
Hiking avatar Oct 18 2024
johnlp • Triplogs 5,208
Hiking13.80 Miles 1,500 AEG
Hiking13.80 Miles
1,500 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Sunrise Point to Sunset Point Rim Trail
Mossy Cave
Willis Creek Narrows
Panorama Trail
Partners partners
The_Eagle
trekkin_gecko
Day 2 of our Utah hiking trip. Bryce was snowy and windy keeping us from any significant hiking.
Mossy Cave is a fun little hike. Willis Creek is slotty. Jumped the creek a couple hundred times.
Panorama trail is very pretty, located in Kodachrome State Park. Big full day. :)
_____________________
“Good people drink good beer.” Hunter S Thompson
 
Apr 24 2023
avatar

 Guides 94
 Routes 840
 Photos 22,055
 Triplogs 1,993

52 male
 Joined Sep 18 2002
 Tempe, AZ
Sheep Willis Loop, UT 
Sheep Willis Loop, UT
 
Hiking avatar Apr 24 2023
chumley • Triplogs 1,993
Hiking10.15 Miles 900 AEG
Hiking10.15 Miles   4 Hrs   8 Mns   2.60 mph
900 ft AEG      14 Mns Break
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Willis Creek Narrows
Partners partners
John9L
We had hoped to do a Bull Valley Willis loop but current reports from the Cornville Visitor Center indicated a landslide from last summer creating a large pool of either water or mud in Bull Valley Gorge that would likely be impassable. As such we decided to just do an out n back in Willis.

Overnight there was a short period of rain that dropped about 1/4". In the morning when we headed out for the trailhead, we learned quickly that Skutumpah Road really is "impassable when wet". Not more than a mile in we passed a jeep and a modified F150 that had both turned around. Another vehicle was stuck on a hill. It had already been a mess and I had no desire to push it. Unable to turn around myself, I backed up in my ruts until reaching a section of more compacted road surface.

Figuring other hike options would be just as difficult to reach, we just parked where we were and started hiking. Utah is cool like that! It was about 2 miles down Sheep Creek following some cattle tracks or splashing in the water. Upon reaching the Willis junction, we opted to continue downstream for a bit and were happy with the decision as there's some quite scenic geology here.

After a mile or so we turned back upstream and back to Willis, enjoying some nice petros along the way. It's about 3 miles up Willis to the trailhead, with the lower half a pleasant canyon, and the upper half a series of classic Utah slots. This is apparently a fairly popular hike on most normal days, but given the road conditions making access impossible, we had the place to ourselves.

The downside of this impromptu option was that we would have to hoof it back on the road nearly 3.5 miles. Under a bright sunny sky and some dry breezes, the road was quick to dry out and we were passed by a couple of trucks as we walked. After the canyon walking, the road return made for some nice higher elevation views to the freshly snow-capped mountains to our north and west.

The road part wasn't terribly exciting, but Sheep Creek was a nice option and I'd recommend any future Willis hikers to explore Sheep a bit if looking for a few extra miles.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Woolly locoweed
_____________________
I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
 
Oct 10 2021
avatar

 Photos 5
 Triplogs 1,041

36 female
 Joined Oct 04 2012
 Phoenix, AZ
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Oct 10 2021
WaitingForRain • Triplogs 1,041
Hiking4.80 Miles 278 AEG
Hiking4.80 Miles   2 Hrs   6 Mns   2.29 mph
278 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
_____________________
 
Nov 07 2020
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 Guides 4
 Routes 491
 Photos 10,890
 Triplogs 1,257

55 male
 Joined Nov 20 2012
 Phoenix, AZ
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Nov 07 2020
BiFrost • Triplogs 1,257
Hiking2.65 Miles 278 AEG
Hiking2.65 Miles      54 Mns   2.94 mph
278 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
slowandsteady
On the way back from Moab we took the scenic route driving through Escalante, Boulder and the Skutumpah Road. The weather forecast was 60% chance of rain or snow but once on the Skutumpah Road we passed the Willis Creek Slot Canyon parking area. It’s a relatively short hike so since it was not raining yet we decided to check it out.

The trail quickly drops into the Willis Creek and the narrows start right away. The slot canyon is pretty cool and relatively easy to navigate. There were a few climb arounds but nothing too difficult. I picked a turn around once the slot canyon started to open up. Also it looked more like rain with every passing minute so we turned around back through the slot. It started raining harder just as we reach the vehicle so good timing. 10 minutes after we left the parking lot it started snowing so really good timing on that :D
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  1 archive
Aug 30 2020
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 Routes 2
 Photos 13
 Triplogs 12

55 female
 Joined Dec 24 2014
 Phoenix
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Aug 30 2020
HikerHound • Triplogs 12
Hiking1.23 Miles 66 AEG
Hiking1.23 Miles   2 Hrs   24 Mns   0.91 mph
66 ft AEG   1 Hour   3 Mns Break
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
1.07 miles - 1:38 pm
Lunch spot
_____________________
 
Oct 19 2018
avatar

 Guides 10
 Routes 673
 Photos 7,281
 Triplogs 4,660

67 female
 Joined Nov 17 2008
 phoenix, az
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Oct 19 2018
trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,660
Hiking5.48 Miles 955 AEG
Hiking5.48 Miles
955 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
last hike of the trip
we were able to return via skutumpah road
willis creek is right on the way
nice easy slot canyon with plenty of narrow sections
went to sheep creek and returned
my mileage and aeg seem a bit high, although we explored a few little short canyons
a few cars when we started around 0900, parking lot was full when we finished
family and dog friendly
stayed dry :)
great trip with my good friend
now to figure out how to do this more often
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Light
oaks turning

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Averett Canyon Pools to trickle Pools to trickle
one pool, no flow

water 1 out of 5water 2 out of 5water less than maxwater less than max Willis Creek Light flow Light flow
one resource mentioned that creek becomes intermittent half mile down; light flow the entire way today
_____________________
hazhole
 
Jul 29 2018
avatar

 Guides 110
 Routes 2,246
 Photos 8,982
 Triplogs 2,600

45 female
 Joined Dec 24 2007
 Ahwatukee, AZ
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Jul 29 2018
LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,600
Hiking4.44 Miles 220 AEG
Hiking4.44 Miles   3 Hrs   3 Mns   1.93 mph
220 ft AEG      45 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
realm09
watermelonW
After Bryce, we headed over to Willis Creek. The road in isn't bad--sandy in places but nothing terrible when dry. You'd feel better in a SUV with 4wd, but a sedan could make it. We parked in the parking area on the right side of the road, crossed over, and after a few hundred feet, the trail drops down to the creek. It was flowing, and the kids walked in the water the entire time, but I was able to keep my feet dry with minimal effort. It was a little warm in the sunny sections, but felt cool in the shade. There is a pour-off you have to bypass about 3/4 of a mile in. There's a trail on either the left or the right. If you don't like heights, or have little kids with you, go to the right, otherwise, the left is fine. We stopped for a snack break a couple of times, and after a little over 2 miles, the kids were getting tired so we turned around. It was getting warm at that point, and clouds were starting to build, so it was a good time to turn around anyway. We only saw a few people on our way in, and saw a few more groups of people on our way out, but 10 miles of dirt road seems to keep most of the crowds away. Fun little hike, and one I'd probably do again if I needed to kill a couple of hours in the area.
_____________________
Stop crying and just go do the hike.
 
Jun 08 2013
avatar

 Guides 177
 Routes 249
 Photos 10,213
 Triplogs 2,215

74 male
 Joined Feb 12 2002
 Gold Canyon, AZ
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Jun 08 2013
AZLOT69 • Triplogs 2,215
Hiking9.00 Miles 455 AEG
Hiking9.00 Miles
455 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Early start, warm, trickle of water to slosh around in. Saw no others on the way in. A few going in as we were leaving. Watch for petroglyphs near Sheep Creek.
_____________________
It's best for a man to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open his mouth and remove all doubt.
--Mark Twain
 
May 23 2009
avatar

 Photos 59
 Triplogs 19

49 male
 Joined Apr 24 2008
 Tempe
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Backpack avatar May 23 2009
base871 • Triplogs 19
Backpack14.00 Miles 264 AEG
Backpack14.00 Miles2 Days         
264 ft AEG
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Did a 2 day solo backpacking trip through willis creek and then down sheep creek to bull pasture. had great weather, and pretty much the whole place to myself at night. Probably the easiest slot canyons ive ever been in!
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Moderate
_____________________
"The Edge. There really is no honest way to explain it because the only people who know where it is are those who have gone over." - Hunter S. Thompson
 
Jul 04 2004
avatar

 Guides 171
 Routes 253
 Photos 6,100
 Triplogs 1,135

44 male
 Joined Apr 03 2006
 Pocatello, ID
Willis Creek NarrowsSouthwest, UT
Willis Creek Narrows
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Jul 04 2004
PaleoRob • Triplogs 1,135
Hiking0.50 Miles 10 AEG
Hiking0.50 Miles      45 Mns   0.67 mph
10 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Short jaunt near sundown to Willis Creek, and up the road a bit to Bull Valley Gorge (which we didn't hike).
_____________________
"The only thing we did was wrong was staying in the wilderness to long...the only thing we did was right was the day we started to fight..."
-Old Spiritual
My book, The Marauders on Lulu and Amazon
 
average hiking speed 2.01 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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