Keyhole Canyon (Zion National Park)
Under a mile of canyon and three short rappels, which makes it the usual first technical descent in Zion and a common pairing with Pine Creek in one day.
Seven experienced canyoneers died here on 14 September 2015 after 0.63 inches of rain fell in under an hour, and RopeWiki flags Keyhole as the canyon with the highest single day death toll. Do not enter if there is any chance of rain over the catchment, and the catchment is larger than what you can see from the road. The second rappel lands in a pool, so you get wet even on a short day. Parking is the other pinch point: the take out wash holds roughly one large vehicle or two small ones, the put in wash three or four. Walk the tube under the highway rather than the road shoulder. Keyhole needs its own permit even when you combine it with Pine Creek.
Logistics
| Manager | NPS Zion National Park |
|---|---|
| Permit | Required, verify with land manager |
| Distance | 0.7 mi |
| Time | 1 hr-2 hr |
| Technical | 3 rappels, longest 60 ft |
| Season | Late Spring; Summer; Fall |
| Vehicle access | Passenger |
| Coordinates | 37.2267, -112.9008 |
Sources
- permitType: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringpermits.htm
- feeUsd: https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/canyoneeringpermits.htm
- manager: https://ropewiki.com/Keyhole_Canyon_(Zion_National_Park)
- nearest town: https://ropewiki.com/Keyhole_Canyon_(Zion_National_Park)
- desc: https://ropewiki.com/Keyhole_Canyon_(Zion_National_Park)
- notes: https://ropewiki.com/Keyhole_Canyon_(Zion_National_Park)
- heroPhoto: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Keyhole_Canyon_(8119662111).jpg