Spry Canyon
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| | Difficulty:3B III (v3a2 III) Raps:8-13, max ↨160ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:Required Vehicle:Passenger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 18 Apr 2026
"Hitchhiking from the takeout took about 10m at 9am. We got a ride from another canyoner heading to a different canyon.. Spry was full of water fro |
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| Best season: | Spring; Summer; Fall
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37.2283, -112.9450
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Weather forecast
Waterflow
Introduction
A good intermediate canyon that displays a variety of scenery along the descent.
Approach
CanyoneeringUSA has a great description as well as Brice Pollock's trip report (with pictures).
In brief, start where the road crosses Pine Creek a visible side trail is found descending into the wash, just by the “Tunnel Ahead, Prepare to Stop” sign sits. You may want to park just on the East Side of the tunnel. Follow this wash until the canyon tightens after 15-20m and exit left up and out of the wash. Hike upwards to a saddle and then descend left into the canyon. Canyon gets foresty but eventually leads to a pure rock section where the rappels start.
Descent
In dry times 2ith average rock climbing skills there is a way to avoid all the pools except one at the very end, which could also be avoided with some exposed bypass. Some people call this route "Spry Dry". With moderate stemming ability, all of the potholes can be stemmed over. A brief hand-to-feet bridge is required at the widest part of the last pothole.
During the wet times. Times after rains, the canyon fills up, and there is no dry spry. You will swim right after the first large repel, and you will swim through many of the other potholes because they will be filled in such a way that stemming over them will not be possible for mere mortals.
The first rappel is the longest. You can do the canyon with a single 70m rope if you downclimb 15 ft on this section. Also, an option to lower off a bush.
The coolest thing about this canyon is the multiple short but dark slot sections.
Exit
Walk down boulders to the river. Take the river right on established trails. Arrive at the bottom-most switchback leading up to the tunnel.
Red tape
Entry to this area may be restricted; check for information regarding permits before attempting this trip
Beta sites
BluuGnome.com : Spry Canyon- Chris Brennen's Adventure Hikes (Southwest) : Spry Canyon
- CanyoneeringUSA.com : Spry
- Climb-Utah.com : Spry Canyon
- RoadTripRyan.com : Spry Canyon
- CanyonChronicles.com : Spry Canyon
- HikeArizona.com : Spry Canyon
Zion Canyoneering Book by Tom Jones : Spry Canyon- CanyonCollective.com : Spry
- Super Amazing Map : Spry Canyon
- ZionCanyoneering.com : Spry Canyon
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