Spry Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3B III (v3a2 VI) Raps:8-13, max ↨160ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:Required 15 min Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 16 May 2026
"We were able to avoid getting we for the first few raps and potholes, but eventually we did swim several times. Burrrrrrrr. Raps were in good shape. |
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| Best season: | Spring; Summer; Fall
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37.2283, -112.9450
37.2155, -112.9360
37.2163, -112.9652
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Waterflow
Introduction
Spry has a delightful slickrock approach, though its charms can be lost when it is hot. After the slabby first rappel, it has ten mostly-vertical rappels, some interesting downclimbs and a few swims, all but one of which can be avoided. In summer after rainstorms, wear a wetsuit so the whole canyon can be enjoyed. The one mandatory swim is near the end and short - so wetsuits don't need to be carried when hot.
Water and sand are highly variable in this canyon. There are 4 or 5 places that CAN hold water, and the sand washes in and out of these spots changing the depths with each storm. Expect to swim once or twice or more. But only short swims.
Approach
DRIVING: Spot a car at Lower Pine Creek, the first switchback on the road, before it starts climbing up the hill.
PARK: Park 1/3 mile east of Tunnel East. There is parking for a few vehicles here.
HIKE: Descend north into upper Pine Creek. Hike the wash for 1/2 mile, then ascend a steep clean slab up to the bench, then work your way south and west up a slickrock bowl up to a pass. From the top of the pass, traverse right and slightly down to the head of a narrow slot that cuts across the slope below. Follow the slot halfway down until it gets brushy, and escape right and descend slabs to the floor of the canyon. Follow the wash west to the top of the first Rappel.
Descent
R1: 165 feet (50m) past a swampy pothole to the ground. The pool at the bottom can be avoided. (This is the only rappel longer than 100 feet (30m)).
The canyon winds its way through a forest. A couple of small potholes lead to a mossy area of short drops in the canyon bottom, usually downclimbed. Stay in the watercourse. The second drop is tall but yields easily to the "elevator" technique – staying back in the corner and using outward pressure to control one's slide. The last drop into a dark tunnel slot requires a short rappel off the most solid of the abundant debris. The dark slot usually requires wading. Some people go around this section, but where is the fun in that!?
After another mellow section, the canyon gets going. Moderate downclimbing is interspersed with about 10 rappels. In one spot, a narrow slot is downclimbed elevator-style, then a pool delicately stemmed over. A single bolt is well placed for belaying the less-sure on this downclimb. After an interesting inside-out rappel, the canyon opens out. A slabby slope downclimbed by staying slightly right leads to a two-bolt anchor for a 90-foot (27 m) rappel into The Black Slot.
Next, a slung block anchors a short rappel into a hidden pool in a slot -- not to be missed. Wade or swim the pool, then rig a second short rappel off a two-bolt anchor to “The Beach”. A two-stage rappel might involve a quick dip in a pool halfway down. The next rappel down a lovely flute ends just above a skanky pool that can be sideways rappelled and stemmed to avoid the stink. Some people rappel down the second flute to avoid it all together.
Finally, the canyoneer downslides (4th class) a narrow slot (easier with pack off) into a pool to a 90-foot (30m) rappel to a large ledge. The final rap is made in the watercourse off an exposed two-bolt anchor.
Exit
Rock-hop down the watercourse avoiding the poison ivy as best you can. About halfway down, R-last 100 feet (30m) off a large tree. Continue rock hopping eventually exiting to the right near a cabin-sized rock. Social trails lead down to the bed of Pine Creek. A quick swim is often a good idea, here. Follow social trails out to the road.
Red tape
A canyoneering permit is required. Group size limit is six persons. This canyon is popular so reserving your permit in advance is recommended.
Beta sites
BluuGnome.com : Spry Canyon- CanyoneeringUSA.com : Spry
- RoadTripRyan.com : Spry Canyon
- CanyonChronicles.com : Spry Canyon
Zion Canyoneering Book by Tom Jones : Spry Canyon- CanyonCollective.com : Spry
- Super Amazing Map : Spry Canyon
- [1] : Spry Canyon with Visitors
Trip reports and media
04/18/26 Fiddle Sticking Wet Spry
- https://www.stavislost.com/hikes/trail/mountain-of-the-sun-and-mount-spry
- Dropping Deep Slots in Spry Canyon
- Pictures from 2012
- http://adamhaydock.blogspot.com/2015/10/spry-canyon-zion-national-park.html
- Candition.com : Spry