Palisade Canyon
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| | Raps:8, max ↨150ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:Required 1 hour Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:granite | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 27 Dec 2024
"Started at 6:30 am at palisade trailhead. Entered the canyon at 9:30. Deep swimmers on almost every rappel. 2 people in the group had 7 mil wetsuits a |
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| Best season: | Spring, Fall
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32.3746, -110.7614
32.4058, -110.7206
32.3096, -110.8226
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Waterflow
Nearby photosIntroduction
A beautiful canyon with 6 back-to-back rappels in a polished granite watercourse. Lots of trail walking but it's mostly downhill all the way to your shuttle.
Approach
From the Palisade TH walk down the trail 4 or so miles then scramble down into the drainage finding the easiest way down. Nice big granite shelves are perfect for suiting up before starting down into the gorge above the 1st rap.
Descent
R1: ~130' from 2 bolts RDC
R2: 100' from 2 bolts top of boulder.
R3: 100' from 2 bolts LDC.
R4: 70' from tree LDC.
R5: 25' from 1 bolt RDC
R6: 110' from 2 bolts RDC.
R7: 140' from 2 bolts behind boulder 2 tiers (new bolts make pull much better)
R8: 80' from 1 bolt to 2 bolt anchor station.
There are sections that, while not narrow, are definitely committing. Many of the raps are in the water and drop into pools but the canyon is open enough that even at high flow it's unlikely there will be swiftwater hazards.
Exit
Follow the drainage down till you cross box camp trail. walk trails down to the road to the Sabino Canyon visitor's center. If you started early you might catch the last shuttle (would have been ~16:20 as of 4/25/22 if it weren't closed for construction). This road is closed to the public.
3.1 miles from end of canyon to shuttle bus stop. 3.7 miles from shuttle bus stop to parking lot.
Alt exit: Follow AZ trail east to prison camp or Gordon Hirabayashi campground.
Red tape
Parking at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is $8 per day or National Park Pass accepted, as of April 2022.
Beta sites
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HikeArizona.com : Palisades Canyon -
Arizona Technical Canyoneering Book by Todd Martin : Palisade Canyon
