During our Paria Canyon trip, we took a dayhike into Buckskin Gulch, really a smaller tributary of the Paria River. The Paria and Buckskin join at a spot appropriately named "The Confluence," where the tall narrow canyon splits into a Y. Buckskin Gulch is 16 miles long. It ranges in average width from 2 to 10 feet, with 1000 foot walls... for the entire 16 miles! Many hikers consider it a challenge to hike its length. In reality, it is a grueling, cobble-strewn hike, with boulder jams and deep cold pools of water that can be chin deep. Certainly not for the faint hearted!

We hiked about 1 mile up into Buckskin from the confluence. What with thunderstorms the night before, and the water running very muddy, we were very nervous. In fact, we were rather stupid... this was really no place to be when there was even a slight chance of a flash flood. Notice the log in this photo, jammed in place by rushing water from a previous flood. A frail human body wouldn't stand a chance if caught in here. But this was probably the only chance in our lifetime to see this incredible area. So we trekked in one mile, just to get a sense of the place. With each step, we grew more nervous. We fancied we heard rushing water in the distance. Fortunately, it was just the wind. We got in, took our pictures, then we marched out... fast! I tried to imagine being the first person to hike the entire length of this long, deep, narrow canyon... wondering if there would ever be a way out... short of turning around. What an amazing place!