Happy Dog Canyon
Water is what turns three miles into a seven to eleven hour day here: waist deep through the upper half, several swims in the lower. A thousand foot narrows opens up shortly after the third rappel.
Six rappels, with both the third and the last running 140 feet off bolts, the final one dropping into a grotto with clear water at the bottom. Graded 4B R, and the R is doing real work, so bring pothole escape gear and a party that has been in this kind of canyon before. Get the wetsuit thickness right, because the swims come in the lower half when you are already cold and past the point of turning around. The canyon itself needs no permit, but overnight parking on the Burr Trail Road for the Kingdom or Overland approach does, from the Capitol Reef visitor center. First descended May 16, 1978, when it was called S Canyon.
Logistics
| Manager | Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NPS); Burr Trail Road overnight parking access falls under Capitol Reef National Park jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Permit | None required |
| Distance | 3 mi |
| Time | 7 hr-11 hr |
| Technical | 6 rappels, longest 140 ft |
| Vehicle access | Passenger |
| Coordinates | 37.5762, -110.8915 |