Big Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3B V (v3a2 V) Raps:5-6, max ↨100ft
Red Tape:Closed to entry Shuttle:Optional Vehicle:High Clearance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 23 Jan 2026
"Approached via redwall. Some frozen pools above the first rap. Replaced R1 anchor. R2 chockstone is loose so carefully inspect before use. We found R4 |
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| Best season: | Fall;Winter;Spring
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36.1780, -111.6949
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WaterflowIntroduction
A beautiful canyon with scenic springs, falls and narrows, followed by the spectacular sight of rushing, milky blue water (if conditions are right) through the deep, colorful gorge of the Little Colorado River (LCR).
Generally speaking, don't plan on filtering or purifying any of the water on this trip, as only rain runoff in a few ephemeral pools above the spring in Big Canyon and above the river in Salt Trail Canyon would be suitable to drink since the water in the spring in Big Canyon and in the river is so loaded with minerals - bring enough water for the entire trip from the beginning (several liters).
Blue water in the LCR is condition dependent - since the blue water flows out from a perennial spring, when the river itself is flowing from precipitation runoff the river will flow brown from the sediments it carries farther upstream and dilute the blue color entirely. There is a flow gauge in the river near Cameron, AZ that can be monitored online here: https://waterdata.usgs.gov/monitoring-location/09402000/#parameterCode=00060&period=P7D You want the cubic feet per second to be zero for at least a week or two before the river will be dependably blue.
Approach
It's a 30-45 min drive from the 89 to Salt TH. The shuttle route is in blue on the KML- there are a lot of dirt roads out there and it would be easy to get lost.
The standard approach steeply descends the rim via a loose, unnamed drainage and weaves through the sandy and sun-exposed upper reaches of Big Canyon.
The redwall approach is an out-and-back alternative from the Salt TH which is arguably more scenic and also more engaging as it involves route finding along steep and loose terrain above Salt Canyon. The route is outlined in Todd Martin's Grand Canyoneering book.
Descent
Five or six rappels under 100' - all from natural anchors.
As of Sep 2023, sediment has been washed out of the spring room below the first rappel and it's now a mandatory long swim. Expect at least two swims, potentially more depending on the group's climbing ability and whether the upper section of canyon is holding water.
Exit
After the final rappel, look to canyon left for a cairned trail that leads to the LCR, and then for a river right trail that weaves through dense reeds to a campsite and the bottom end of the Salt Trail.
Expect the Salt Trail to take 4-5h total. Bring enough water and do not underestimate the difficulty of this trail - particularly in the heat.
Red tape
A Navajo Nation backcountry permit is required to run this canyon. Permits are NOT being issued for Big Canyon as of April 2026. Backcountry permits for hiking the Salt Trail and other notable locations within the Little Colorado River Gorge do not grant access for technical descents of Big Canyon. The Coalition of American Canyoneers (CAC) is currently working with the LCR Gorge Navajo Tribal Park to restore access to this location.
As of April 2026, the LCR Gorge Navajo Tribal Park began enforcing the following restrictions: "Climbing, rappelling, and BASE jumping are strictly prohibited on Navajo Nation land, including iconic monoliths like shiprock, Totem Pole, and Spider Rock. These activities are considered illegal due to the desecration of sacred sites and the risk of damaging culturally significant rock formations."
The CAC is working to clarify the many notable distinctions between climbing, base jumping, and canyoneering - specifically highlighting the minimal environmental impact / damage associated with the latter activity. Attention will also be brought to the various examples across Navajo Nation where canyoneering (rappelling) has been and continues to be recognized by the Navajo Nation as an acceptable form of recreation.
Please do not descend Big Canyon until discussions between the CAC and LCR Gorge Navajo Tribal Park have concluded. This ropewiki page will be updated with new information at that time.
Note: Permits for this region were traditionally awarded through the Cameron office (928-679-2303). They generally keep normal business hours, except for when they don't.
Beta sites
Super Amazing Map : Big Canyon- HikeArizona.com : Big Canyon to LCR Gorge
Grand Canyoneering Book by Todd Martin : Big Canyon
Trip reports and media
- Candition.com : Big Canyon
- Mark Kilian's Adventures : Big Canyon - LCR
- https://www.facebook.com/pat.winstanley.7/media_set?set=a.1768342643224425.1073742198.100001461198708&type=3&uploaded=26