I love that camping spot near the junction with Paria – quite nice, but if I recall it took us the whole day hiking though Buckskin to reach it. So doing this hike in monsoon season? Yep would rather swim with the sharks
And wisconnyjohnny – feel free to come out to the big island where I can have you meet the sharks! the good news is that we don’t taste like chicken. If that were the case there would be a lot of fat sharks out here!
I’ve camped in there twice. There are really only two safe places though. The first is at “Middle Trail” about halfway where you can actually scramble all the way out to the rim. The second is almost at the junction with the Pariah and you’re camping like 30 feet above the stream level in a very wide part of the canyon. Both perfectly safe in a flash. There is literally nowhere else though.
For those interested, there are other campsites on the slickrock ledges south of the Middle Trail that are above the danger zone. You don’t have to go all the way to the rim.
I still wouldn’t go this time of year. The drainage basin is huge and there aren’t many places to escape.
Buckskin is one of the more dangerous canyons for flash flooding.
I didn’t realize people actually camp in Buckskin. I certainly would never do that, especially in late summer…
Just seems like a really bad idea to me, setting your tent up on the floor of a dry stream bed, in the middles of one of the longest slot canyons in the world.
Lotsa folks camp in there (I have NOT). Yes it is one of the longest slots in the world. About 12 miles of it? Really bad idea? Depends. Now in monsoon pattern? Yes. Other times? Not so much. Tent IN the wash? Yeah!…except in REAL high pressure…..although I did it once when it rained HARD later (DOH!) when it was 0% forecast. LOL! The place (Buckskin) specifically? Sleeping out of the canyon, mid canyon Cobra Arch exit? That is safe if all are qualified for the somewhat sporty up and down. The place they camped? I THINK it was near the confluence? If so, there are places sorta up and out of the bottom. Lovely spot. Very pretty. Great to spend a night there. Only place with good water, if going up Paria as a two day trip. Soooooo, it Depends….I would have needed “Depends” if it happen to me. Some days you get the bear……Careful out there. Lotsa ways to screw up/guess wrong. Trust me…I know.
wisconnyjohnny
the watershed size that feeds buckskin is like terrifying. no bueno! i’d rather surf with hungry sharks
joeb
I love that camping spot near the junction with Paria – quite nice, but if I recall it took us the whole day hiking though Buckskin to reach it. So doing this hike in monsoon season? Yep would rather swim with the sharks
And wisconnyjohnny – feel free to come out to the big island where I can have you meet the sharks! the good news is that we don’t taste like chicken. If that were the case there would be a lot of fat sharks out here!
wisconnyjohnny
i’ve surfed with some bull and black tips. Usually 12 guys in the line up so my chances were slimmer haha
Canyonero
I’ve camped in there twice. There are really only two safe places though. The first is at “Middle Trail” about halfway where you can actually scramble all the way out to the rim. The second is almost at the junction with the Pariah and you’re camping like 30 feet above the stream level in a very wide part of the canyon. Both perfectly safe in a flash. There is literally nowhere else though.
Scott Patterson
For those interested, there are other campsites on the slickrock ledges south of the Middle Trail that are above the danger zone. You don’t have to go all the way to the rim.
I still wouldn’t go this time of year. The drainage basin is huge and there aren’t many places to escape.
Buckskin is one of the more dangerous canyons for flash flooding.
2065toyota
There are good and bad camping areas there. We just camped in there and camped in a place that would be completely safe in a flash
Steve Jorge
I didn’t realize people actually camp in Buckskin. I certainly would never do that, especially in late summer…
Just seems like a really bad idea to me, setting your tent up on the floor of a dry stream bed, in the middles of one of the longest slot canyons in the world.
Ram
Lotsa folks camp in there (I have NOT). Yes it is one of the longest slots in the world. About 12 miles of it? Really bad idea? Depends. Now in monsoon pattern? Yes. Other times? Not so much. Tent IN the wash? Yeah!…except in REAL high pressure…..although I did it once when it rained HARD later (DOH!) when it was 0% forecast. LOL! The place (Buckskin) specifically? Sleeping out of the canyon, mid canyon Cobra Arch exit? That is safe if all are qualified for the somewhat sporty up and down. The place they camped? I THINK it was near the confluence? If so, there are places sorta up and out of the bottom. Lovely spot. Very pretty. Great to spend a night there. Only place with good water, if going up Paria as a two day trip. Soooooo, it Depends….I would have needed “Depends” if it happen to me. Some days you get the bear……Careful out there. Lotsa ways to screw up/guess wrong. Trust me…I know.