I never knew there were so many shades of orange, or understood how many patterns the wind could carve into a single stone. There’s a whole lot of nothing in most of Utah, New Mexico and Arizona, but you should see the way light hits that nothing. Step into a Southwestern desert and you’ll understand why Georgia O’Keeffe paintings are so barren yet so beautiful. The slightest touch sends the whole colony scattering in all directions.The alleyways of Europe have infinite charm Japan’s Shibuya Crossing is a testament to the metropolises that man can build, but the American Southwest - there is not a place like it in the world. There is one unusual obstacle the darkest section of the slot, in summer, is the preferred breeding ground for thousands of daddy long legs spiders, in places completely covering the walls with a dense mass of insects stretching for several feet.

Though very brief, the narrows are deep enough for nice patterns of shadows and reflected light, illuminating the rocks in a range of subtle shades. Some people might find the slot easier to explore by walking up from below, approaching along the south bank then descending a short slope. The narrows open out at the junction with the much wider main fork, right beside the road. The passageways hold a few small drops with minor pools after rainfall, and some sections require sideways walking, being less than 2 feet wide. Not far below, the canyon narrows to a tight slot through smooth Navajo sandstone, colored rich shades of red and orange. Although shallow, the majority of the streambed is inaccessible due to sloping sides, but a less steep section allows entry a little way downstream, descending to a temporarily wide part. Parking for the hike is in the main lot at the NPS visitor center, from where the drainage can clearly be seen, 200 feet north.

Lake powell slot canyons map