Women’s Hiking Through the Paria Canyon

What you get on this adventure:

• • An experienced, local rock-climbing guide with extensive knowledge of the area
  • 5 days of hiking 
  • 2 nights of hotel accommodation pre- and post-hike in Kanab
  • Meals in town and on the trail
  • Transport between Kanab and the trailhead
  • Paria Canyon permits
  • All group backpacking gear (cooking, water filtration & emergency communications)

What’s not included:

• • Your own transport to/from Kanab
  • Personal backpacking gear — can be rented by the guide
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Medical, travel, and rescue insurance (rescue insurance is mandatory)
  • Guide gratuities — optional

During your time on the trail, you can expect standard nutritious backpacking breakfasts, light lunch, and fortified “just add water” freeze-dried dinner. If you have any special dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and celiac, dairy-free), please contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

Hiking in Paria Canyon does not require a lot of skill but all participants must be in good physical condition and have some previous hiking experience. To enjoy this adventure, you should be comfortable hiking 12 trail miles in no more than 5 hours for two consecutive days on uneven terrain. Previous backpacking experience is helpful. 

The Paria Canyon Backpack is not a mountaineering adventure, but it is an excellent introduction into remote backcountry travel, endurance, safety, and camping! There is minimal elevation change along the Paria River, but you’ll be wading through water for up to 70% of the journey and navigating varied off-trail terrain. The Paria typically flows all the way from White House to Lee’s Ferry in October, so our feet will be wet for most of the adventure. Summer temperatures can be intense, and you’ll need to carry adequate water along with all your gear and supplies.

To get the most enjoyment from this adventure, consider building up your stamina with regular cardio workouts (running, cycling, or swimming), core strengthening, and practice hikes with a weighted pack. Aim for three 30-minute cardio sessions weekly and one long practice hike carrying about 33 pounds. The better prepared you are physically, the more you’ll be able to focus on the canyon’s stunning beauty and unique experience.

You will receive a detailed packing list in your expedition handbook after reserving your spot. The guide will provide the team cooking and emergency gear for this adventure, while you are responsible for your personal backpacking gear including the following items:

• Backpack large enough to carry all the items listed (50-65L bag)
• Tent
• 20 degree sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad
• Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
• Personal trail snacks — bring a minimum of 2,500 calories
• Trekking poles — optional but recommended
• Trekking boots or shoes that can get wet
• Weather-appropriate clothes for layering
• Fast-drying base layer (avoid cotton)
• Long sleeve shirt
• Warm layers: fleece or down jacket
• Lightweight wind/waterproof jacket
• 4 pairs of hiking socks
• Neoprene socks — optional
• Dry bag for electronics — optional 
• Waterproof rain jacket
• Buff or bandana
• Sunhat
• Plastic mug, bowl, and spork
• Knife
• Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
• Small quick-dry towel
• First aid kit
• Fire matches, lighter, or tinder 
• Headlamp or flashlight
• Sunglasses
• Camera — optional (but recommended)

Bring a regular, comfortable pair of hiking boots or trail shoes; make sure they are synthetic – NOT leather, and NOT GoreTex – which will allow you to wear them dry easily when you are out of the water for longer stretches. Water shoes don’t offer enough structural support for a 45 miles backpacking trip, and you’ll be in and out of water so much that it is impossible to switch back and forth between water shoes and regular shoes for each crossing. If your boots and socks fit right, and you employ standard blister prevention strategies, whether your shoes are wet or not should have minimal impact on the development of blisters.

Neoprene socks won’t keep your feet dry, but they will keep your feet warmer if you are hiking the Paria during cold weather – November through February, or through a surprise cold spell in March/October. The downside of neoprene socks is that you’ll most likely have to buy a new pair of shoes a size larger than what you typically wear and neoprene socks can be somewhat uncomfortable to wear for longer periods of time.

Selected gear items such as sleeping bags, pads, tents and trekking poles are available to rent directly from the guide. A broad selection of rental gear is also available through national brands such Kit Lender. If you would like assistance with gear rentals or purchase recommendations, please contact us.

It all depends on how carefully you skinny down your gear! A 35lbs backpack is a realistic expectation. In addition to personal gear, you will be responsible for a ~5lbs allocation of team gear.

Due to strict group size limitations, hiring a porter would be forbiddingly expensive in the realm of 1.5x your expedition fee. Therefore, no porter services are offered on this route.

Yes. There is mandatory wading along much of the Paria. Spring and fall typically see the Paria flowing all the way from White House to Lee’s Ferry, and you’ll have wet feet for likely at least 70% of the trip.

Paria is quite susceptible to flash flooding. If there is a major storm in the forecast it may be unsafe to enter the Paria River drainage. Spring and fall typically bring good, steady weather – but if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you will pivot to an equally spectacular ‘backup’ route of similar length and difficulty.

Group sizes and prices:

• • For this group adventure, the max client to guide ratio is 5:1, and all participants will be women.
  • Cost is per person. The cost does not decrease as the group grows. 
  • Overnight permits for Paria Canyon backpacking adventures become available three months prior to departure and are competitive in nature. Your guides take care of all permitting requirements on your behalf and will reconfirm the details of your departure as soon as they have permits in hand. In the even that they are unsuccessful in obtaining permits for your scheduled dates and itinerary, they will work with you to establish an alternative and/or provide a refund for any fees already paid.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors younger than 18 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian.

If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

Private trips are possible to arrange! Even if the displayed dates don’t work for you, please contact us—we’ll work with you to arrange a trip for you and your group (even co-ed is possible in this case).

To get to Paria Canyon, most people fly into Salt Lake City (SLC), about a five-hour drive, Las Vegas (LAS) just over a two hours away. From there, you can rent a car or take a bus ride to Kanab, UT, where you will meet your guides. 

The closest airport is St. George (SGU), a regional airport about 1.5 hours driving from Kanab. From there, it is possible to arrange a taxi transfer from St. George to Kanab for approx. $250 one way.

Once you and your guide agree on the details of your itinerary, your guide will suggest the best place to meet. The guide will take you from Kanab to Paria Canyon and choose the appropriate terrain depending on conditions and the ability of the group.

57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity. 

We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, guides and the communities they’re travelling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Paria Canyon, UT, please refer to the official Government of Utah website.

Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!