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: | 7 Feb 2026
"Started at 815am at boyscount camp since road was closed seasonally. Group was leisurely slow didnt stop for lunch etc. Missed the shuttle by |
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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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Introduction[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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 or downclimb LDC
R6: 120' from 2 bolts LDC or 140'ish from bolts RDC
Descent amount of wash/ boulder walking
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[edit]
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[edit]
Parking at Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is $8 per day or National Park Pass accepted, as of April 2022.
Beta sites[edit]
HikeArizona.com : Palisades Canyon
Arizona Technical Canyoneering Book by Todd Martin : Palisade Canyon