Conditions:Big Canyon-20250428001228

Latest:	26 Apr 2025 (24 days ago)

Reported by:	Dyln cole (71 reports)
Quality:
Waterflow:	Low
Wetsuit:	Rain jacket
Water temperature:
Difficulty:
Time:	24 hours

Team: 5 people with experience level Beginner to Intermediate

Trip report URL:

Comments: Pretty cool. Slow movers will want thin wetsuits.

All condition reports

Date	Quality	Waterflow	Wetsuit	Difficulty	Time	Team	Reported by
26 Apr 2025		Low	Rain jacket		24 hours	5 people Beginner to Intermediate	Dyln cole (71 reports)
Comment: Pretty cool. Slow movers will want thin wetsuits.
27 May 2024	Good	Very Low	None	Special challenges	25 hours	4 people	EMoorcroft (450 reports),Nclegg (407 reports)
Comment: 25 hours car to car, includes playing in the river and an overnight near the heli-pad. We took the Redwall approach and it was all good until we left the shade. Sun exposure got intense and we had to take breaks and huddle under boulders which slowed down our progress. Once we made it into the canyon it was like entering another world. Shade and water were in abundance the rest of the day. The morale of the team quickly improved and we thoroughly enjoyed the canyon. The LCR was neon blue and we arrived at the river a couple hours before sunset. We set camp around 8 pm with the little bit of sunlight we had left. We fell asleep by 10pm and left our camp at 4 am. Leaving by 4 provided shade for the entire exit up the rugged salt trail. The water is palatable once filtered, but our team brought enough water. This was a good canyon and I would do it again in the early spring or late fall.
11 May 2024	Amazing	Low	None	Normal	2 days	3 people Beginner to Intermediate	Stber321 (37 reports)
Comment: Light flow right now through some beautiful twisty falls, replaced all webbing. We encountered a tricky meat anchor+partner assist downclimb below a deep pool on the way in - it seems like it would be possible to anchor off a small tree high LDC. Did this as a 2 day backpacking trip, camping right below the salt trail and exiting in the morning. The exit in the sun was brutal. 8 liters total was not enough water for me to be comfortable(though I am quite a water hog). Certainly wouldn't do this canyon any later in the year.
12 Mar 2024	Amazing		Full wetsuit		13 hours	3 people Advanced	Cheveran (90 reports)
Comment: Amazing day. The travertine pools and flowing spring water were outstandingly beautiful. Our time is from the Big Canyon TH to the Salt Creek TH. We made our way up the Salt Trail at a leisurely pace.
20 Oct 2023	Amazing	Moderate Low	Rain jacket	Normal	11 hours	2 people Intermediate to Advanced	Shattuck311 (3 reports)
Comment: All Anchors in good condition, though R2 anchor is under running water, and likely should be replaced each trip through. Water is much warmer after the spring. Muddy pools above much colder. We both had 2mm shorties, and could have easily done without, as the water from the spring was quite comfortable.
23 Sep 2023	Good	Deep pools	Rain jacket	Special challenges	2 days	5 people	Erek (206 reports),Coalemus (160 reports),Nclegg (407 reports)
Comment: Approached via the redwall this time around, which was loose and exposed in sections but more engaging and IMO more scenic than the shuttle/loop approach. The canyon appeared to have flooded recently and was nearly at its water-holding capacity. We filtered rainwater from a pool above the first rappel. We then managed to bypass most the pools and get by with only a couple swims and some shallow wading. One person in our group wore a thin wetsuit. Others went without neoprene and were only marginally chilled. We excavated and replaced the aging anchor at R1. Some twists around the pull side led to a stuck rope at R2, and one of us ascended to re-rig. After the final rap we found the cairned trail high canyon left (highly recommend over attempting to navigate large boulders and deep mud near the mouth of the canyon). The LCR was running brown from recent rains. Despite more promising forecasts, we were thoroughly saturated by a substantial thunderstorm which rolled through as we were exiting the canyon and approaching the LCR.
17 Jun 2023	Good	Deep pools	Rain jacket	Special challenges	2 days	2 people	Nclegg (407 reports)
Comment: Started late in the day, used the standard approach (w/ shuttle) and finished the canyon in the dark by headlamp (11h to reach camp at the LCR). Carried 9L of water which in this heat was critical. I had nearly completely ran out by the time I reached the Salt TH on day two, as I gave away 2L to hikers who were becoming dangerously dehydrated. Multiple deep pools, but water temp was comfortable. The spring room had a 50 foot swim. Replaced R2 anchor. There was thigh-depth mud by the mouth of the canyon, best to find the social trail CL.
25 Dec 2022	Amazing	Deep pools	Thin wetsuit	Special challenges	1 day	2 people Advanced to Beginner	Ben albrecht (4 reports)
Comment: Didn’t have a shuttle vehicle. We approached via the salt trail and broke off as the red wall began to soar. We skirted the terrace for a few hours enjoying some of the best views I’ve been blessed to see. You get some sick perspectives of bekihatso wash and big canyon too! After working all the way around and into the area above the technical portion you could potentially drop directly down to the first rappel via the first major drainage. With fading daylight we chose to find a walkable way down. This would add a rappel or two not more in length than 70’ feet from the looks of it from the first rap station. Pick your way down to meet the proper approach for big canyon. If you walked all the way to the gentle gully, there may be some water obstacles ahead of you. We were met with multiple avoidable pools and some dicey climbs around murky, cold water. We came to a dry fall with a large pool below it. Opposed to trying to downclimb, we went high up LDC wall to a thick but not so happy tree and fiddle sticked to the base of the pool (60’ ish). Shortly after this we were faced with our first mandatory swim. At this time it was already dark and windy. Shortly thereafter we made it to the first rappel and both made it to a sliver of rock in a long, deep, clear pool. It had steam coming off in some spots and was seeping from the walls. We were both freezing and not looking forward to getting our sleep system wet. After some thought we quickly jumared up and spent the night up and in a corner out of the watercourse. Upon waking we made the mention looooooong swim through the spring room. Ropewiki has been accurate for awhile but this first rappel is now a mandatory swimmer for at least one person! The anchor is mud glued old tat and new webbing on a tree far back from the edge rigged all the way to the lip. The second rappel was the longest and really a gorgeous one. You have to skirt some deep water to the right for anchor access, it is a thread at the lip in the watercourse RDC. Once on you pass a pool then make your way down a twisty, lichen-y, vibrant waterfall to a deep pool in a tight corridor (80’ ish). Skirt wall right again then stem your way to the next rappel. I set a rock to use as a rock-chock directly in the watercourse. It is still there. My partner found an existing anchor LDC out of the water course. It is a rock chock in some small boulders. This rappel is about 60’ feet. It skirts a waterfall. Beneath this waterfall is neat cave. The next rap is just down canyon and to the left. If you send one of your party members up RDC there is a perfect position for excellent photographs of the rappel. This also skirts you around a waterfall with a big pool. You are immediately faced with options for you last rappel. LDC brings you to a rappel into the shallow side of the big pool and involves some more navigating to get to shore. RDC brings you to a rap that drops you on some dry rocks on the beach area. Stay left from here and eventually get into the hillside to find some cairns that take you to the delightful river. Follow the trail, don’t forget to check out at the big ca ton lodge front desk. We got into dry clothes at the marked campsite. We blasted to the top in 3.5 hours. We got lucky, the gauge had some cfs flow for a week or two prior.
23 Feb 2019	Poor	Moderate Low	None	Easy	15 hours	3 people Expert	Nathandonny (9 reports)
Comment: LCR flowing high, chocolate color. Connecting trail to salt trail canyon completely washed out. This lead to the worst bushwhacking of our lives. Morning temp 18 degrees, no snow in canyon but some icicles.
21 Apr 2018	Amazing	Deep pools	None	Normal	2 days	7 people Intermediate to Advanced	PatWinstanley (80 reports)
Comment: Day one 8 hours to camp near Salt Trail Canyon, hike out day 2 in 3-4 hours for the group. We found Salt Trail to be easy to follow and well marked. LCR was a beautiful, milky blue. There are a few deep pools in the canyon, but almost all were able to avoid wading more than waist deep with a few tricky moves. The hallway after the second rappel is quite deep, but it is possible to cling to the canyon right wall, then bridge across the remainder of the pool, but the moves are a little difficult. A Navajo ranger was checking permits at Salt Trail camp - do not attempt this trip without permits! Don't bother trying to filter or purify any of the water - bring all you need for the trip. All in our group took an average of about 6 liters per person for the 2 days.
25 May 2013 Trip report							HikeArizona.com (271 reports)
Comment: Most recent conditions reported at HikeArizona.com, see Trip Report for full details.
3 May 2013 Trip report	Amazing						CanditionBot (2103 reports)
Comment: See the full condition report at Candition.com. Submitted by Bladerider.
3 May 2013 Trip report							Candition.com (287 reports)
Comment: Most recent conditions reported at Candition.com, see Trip Report for full details.