Conditions Right Now
Use sunset as your turnaround alarm.
Why Hike This
The stripes are the draw, and they really are different from the other Escalante slots, which mostly read as one color. Getting to see them is the catch. The narrow section often holds standing water in bedrock potholes, the smooth bowls the Utah Geological Survey describes as being drilled by rotating currents and then holding water long after the last rain. Go expecting to wade, in shoes and clothes you do not mind soaking, or expecting to turn around at the water.
The Trail
Pink-striped candy slot; may require wading potholes.
Heat note: desert country - in summer start at dawn and carry more water than feels reasonable.
Pack Loadout (Moderate)
2 liters water, trail shoes, sun layer, snacks, small first-aid kit.
Getting There
Make it a weekend: Calf Creek Campground (Camping, 12 mi) · Wide Hollow Reservoir (Fishing, 17 mi) · Boulder Mountain Lakes (Fishing, 32 mi) · Singletree Campground (Camping, 33 mi)
More hikes nearby: Lower Calf Creek Falls (Hike, 12 mi) · Peek-a-Boo & Spooky Gulch (Hike, 14 mi) · Coyote Gulch (Hike, 21 mi) · Angel's Palace (Hike, 32 mi)
Quick Answers
- How long is the Zebra Slot Canyon hike?
- 5.3 miles round trip with 452 feet of elevation gain.
- How hard is Zebra Slot Canyon?
- Moderate. Kid rating: 2 out of 5.
- When should I hike Zebra Slot Canyon?
- Best season: Spring & Fall.
- Why hike Zebra Slot Canyon?
- Because the banded sandstone walls photograph like nothing else in the monument, and the whole thing is 5.3 miles round trip. The trade is water. Potholes in the narrows can be full enough to require wading, and there is no way around them, so check conditions and be willing to walk away.