If it is slot canyons you seek, the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM) has them by the dozens. We all have our favorite features in slots; some folks like the walls so tight that walking through with a pack is almost impossible, while others seek canyons that allow but a sliver of light to shine in during the day. Whatever your flavor might be, you can find them all in Escalante. Better yet, there’s a canyon that houses almost every conceivable variation of slot in one single hike: Little Death Hollow. Hiking Little Death Hollow to Horse/Wolverine Canyons is mile for mile one of the best strolls I’ve ever taken, and well worth the sweat and skin you’ll leave behind.
The adventure begins at the Little Death Hollow (LDH) Trailhead on the Wolverine Loop Road near the southern end of Capitol Reef National Park. Sign in at the trail register and follow the obvious path into the canyon. Here, the walls are extremely wide, and belie the tight confines that you’ll soon encounter. Roughly a mile in, look for a large boulder on the right. There are petroglyphs worth checking out on the bottom of this rock. The hike begins to get interesting about 2.5 miles in. Here, the canyon begins to constrict, and hikers will be immersed in an outstanding slot canyon that continues for miles!
At first, LDH showcases some short slot sections followed by more open segments. Eventually the walls grow narrow and stay that way until the confluence with Horse Canyon. It’s in incredible journey that contains nearly every variation of slot canyon I’ve ever seen. Tight walls where some people will need to turn sideways, cliffs so high overhead that the canyon grows dark and slightly spooky, hues of every shade from deep orange to dusty gray, and at least six chockstones with varying degrees of difficulty to scramble up or under- Little Death Hollow has it all!
I have read several trip reports that rate this canyon as a mild stroll. That may be true when it is dry (which, to be fair, is almost always); but, when my hiking partner and I visited LDH, the last 3 miles were wet and wild. We slogged through water that was ice cold and anywhere from ankle to waist deep and filled with debris. At several points, we had to up climb chockstone obstacles and hand our packs down to one another. This added to our enjoyment, and my experience is that LDH is no easy stroll; in fact, it was one tough SOB!
LDH ends at its confluence with Horse Canyon. From this point, hike north up Horse Canyon until you reach the junction with Wolverine Canyon. Wolverine is the obvious canyon to the east, and is marked by a motor vehicle closure sign. This canyon contains some nice narrow sections, but after seeing the spectacle that is LDH, it may fall a bit flat for some hikers. Every time Wolverine Canyon splits, take the branch to the right. The final 2 miles of hiking are in full exposure, so make sure you have plenty of water. As you make your way over the bench land to LDH trailhead, you’ll see hundreds of pieces of petrified wood. This is Wolverine Petrified Wood Natural area, and it’s worth poking around bit to find some amazing ancient logs.
As far as slot canyons go, Little Death Hollow is one of the best that I’ve seen. The outstanding variety of the narrows, the interesting geology within the canyon, and the overall challenge combine to give hikers a true taste of what the GSENM offers. Because this is a rather lengthy dayhike, many people choose to backpack down LDH and spend the night at the confluence with Horse Canyon. After doing it this way myself, I highly recommend it. Horse Canyon continues all the way to the Escalante River, and you could easily turn this loop into several days/nights of exploration. However you choose to tackle it, know that you’ll be seeing one of the finest “little” canyons in all of Escalante.
Canyon Mileage: Little Death Hollow= 7 miles from trailhead to junction with Horse Canyon
Horse Canyon= 2 miles from confluence with LDH to confluence with Wolverine Canyon
Wolverine Canyon= 5 miles total
Getting There: From the town of Boulder, UT, take the Burr Trail Road east for 18.5 miles. Turn south on the Wolverine Loop Road (there is a sign at the turnoff) and drive for 13 miles to the Little Death Hollow Trailhead. You will pass the trailheads for both Horse and Wolverine Canyons on the way.
Maps: Trails Illustrated Map #710 Canyons of the Escalante; USGS 7.5 topographical maps for Silver Falls Bench, Red Breaks, King Bench and Pioneer Mesa
Gear Needed: Sturdy boots or hiking shoes, plenty of water, sunscreen and possibly water shoes if the canyon is wet. Also, it’s a good idea to have at least 20’ of rope on hand for lowering packs over obstacles.