Kanarra Falls Route
A ticketed water-canyon hike up a red sandstone slot to a string of waterfalls, climbed on fixed ladders. Non-technical and family-popular — but the creek is cold, the rock is slick, and the town caps it at 200 permits a day.
Kanarra Creek Canyon is the accessible face of Utah slot-canyon country: no rappels, no ropes, just a wade up a cold perennial creek into a narrow red-rock slot where fixed ladders climb the waterfalls. The Town of Kanarraville manages access with a paid daily permit, and the water is cold enough that the operator calls it 'extremely cold.' Popular with families and first-timers — treat the cold water, the 20-foot ladder, and the slick algae-covered rock as the real hazards, and always verify the current permit rules before you drive out.
Quick stats
- Distance
- 4 mi
- Time
- 2–4 hrs
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Wetsuit
- Sometimes
- Permit
- Required
- Best months
- May, June, September, October
The descent
Water & swims. Wading in ankle-to-knee cold water; not usually swimming.
Downclimbs. Fixed ladders and short scrambles up and around the waterfalls.
Obstacles. Fixed 20 ft ladder at the first waterfall; slick algae-covered rock; creek walking in cold water.
Gear. Wetsuit: sometimes. No technical gear required — footwear for cold water and traction is the priority.
Permits & access
Permit required. Town of Kanarraville. System: reservation. Fee: From $15 per person; limit 200 general-admission tickets per day. Daily quota of 200 general tickets, booked via FareHarbor on kanarrafalls.com. Commercial use requires separate tickets (manager@kanarrafalls.com / 435-590-7490). Verify current pricing and quota before you go.
Approach. Trailhead at the edge of Kanarraville; paid parking area at the town boundary.
Trailhead. Kanarra Creek Trailhead — In Kanarraville (40 S Main St, Kanarraville, UT 84742). Parking area at the town boundary; parking and permits are managed by the Town of Kanarraville.
Small town — access, parking, and the daily permit quota are managed by the Town of Kanarraville.
When to go
Cold water makes spring and fall ideal. Summer is popular but the approach is hot. Winter hiking is possible, but the water is frigid.
Avoid: January, February.
Safety & hazards
Extremely cold water (high). The operator calls the creek 'extremely cold.' Hypothermia risk, especially for children.
Slick rock and ladders (moderate). Algae-covered rock is slippery; a 20 ft fixed ladder and steep rocky slopes require care.
Flash flooding (moderate). A narrow slot canyon on a live creek — check the forecast; flash flooding is possible in storms.
Sources & beta
Canyon conditions, permit rules, and flows change — verify against the current source and forecast before you commit.
- Kanarra Falls — official visitor & permit info — Town of Kanarraville / kanarrafalls.com: 200 tickets/day, from $15/person via FareHarbor, 4-mi round trip, up to 4 hours, moderate-to-strenuous, 20 ft ladder, 'extremely cold' water, manager contact.