Misery Canyon
verified
ACA 3B
Unknown flood risk
Springdale, UT
Most people know it as Fat Man's Misery. It drops into Parunuweap, which Road Trip Ryan compares to the Narrows for beauty and scale, far enough off the beaten path that you are unlikely to see anyone else.
The hike starts inside Zion but the technical section sits outside the park boundary, which is why no canyoneering permit is needed. West fork is about 9 miles round trip, east fork about 11. There are a few pools and little sun, so wetsuits are standard in all but the hottest weeks. The exit walks about ten minutes down the East Fork of the Virgin River, and above roughly 75 to 100 cfs that stretch gets tricky, so read the gauge and not just the sky. Flash flood exposure here is rated high.
Logistics
| Manager | NPS Zion National Park |
|---|---|
| Permit | None required |
| Distance | 8.9 mi |
| Time | 5 hr-12 hr |
| Technical | 5 rappels, longest 70 ft |
| Season | Spring; Summer; Fall |
| Vehicle access | Passenger |
| Coordinates | 37.2122, -112.8833 |