Imlay Canyon (Full)
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| | Difficulty:4B IV R (v5a2 IV) Raps:20 - 46, max ↨170ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:Required Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 9 May 2025
"Always incredible and full value! Top notch beauty and fun. We just did the sneak route, posting beta here also for convenience.. All pot hole |
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| Best season: | BEST in Jun;Jul;Aug;Sep
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37.3199, -112.9860
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Introduction[edit]
One of the hardest canyons in Zion. Easy when potholes are full, it can become extremely difficult in adverse conditions. Should start hiking pre-dawn if attempted in one long day.
Approach[edit]
Descent[edit]
Exit[edit]
Red tape[edit]
Permits[edit]
Permits are required with a group-size limit of 6 people.
The permit system is complicated and is no longer administered by the park service. However, it is advisable to start at the park's webpage for canyoneering permit information when looking for permits and details about how they are obtained and other regulations and timeframes. Zion NP Canyoneering Permits: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringpermits.htm
Vehicle (Yellow) Passes[edit]
If you are starting Heaps or Imlay from the main Zion Canyon floor and hiking up the West Rim Trail, the park WILL issue you a vehicle pass. This is because these canyons require an early start—well before the in-canyon shuttles begin operating for the day—and you’ll need a permit to drive up Zion Canyon and leave a vehicle at the trailhead.
If you are starting from Lava Point, however, the park WILL NOT issue a vehicle pass. Even though you’ll be relying on the in-canyon shuttle to return at the end of the day, the Park’s reasoning is that since you can reach Lava Point on your own schedule, you should be able to start early enough to complete the canyon and catch the last shuttle without needing to leave a vehicle in Zion Canyon.
It's possible that some rangers better understand the implications of the policy and may be willing to issue vehicle passes for those doing the top-down route. Rangers do have some discretion, but the above information is based on the official policy and email correspondence with the Zion Wilderness Desk.
Beta sites[edit]
BluuGnome.com : Imlay Canyon- HikeArizona.com : Imlay Canyon
Zion Canyoneering Book by Tom Jones : Imlay Full- CanyoneeringUSA.com : Imlay; Full
- ZionCanyoneering.com : Imlay Canyon
- SummitPost.org : Imlay Canyon
Trip reports and media[edit]
- Dennis Turville on Canyon Tales : Troll's Treat (aka Imlay Canyon), June 7-9, 1978
- Scott Card on Canyon Tales : Sneak Route & Full Imlay
6.21.2017: Group of 6, from West Rim TH to Temple 13 hours, 4 hookers, low water conditions; wetsuits not needed in upper section or first narrows in lower section.
The dirty part of Imlay.
- http://adamhaydock.blogspot.com/2015/10/imlay-canyon-full-zion-national-park.html
- Candition.com : Imlay