Oak Creek (South Fork)
verified
ACA 3C
Unknown flood risk
Virgin, UT
Better known as Eye of the Needle, for the 130 foot rappel that threads an arch mid canyon: you go through the hole on the rappel rope and throw the pull cord over the top.
Spring fed and flowing all year, so plan for wet rope work rather than a dry sandstone descent. Like the North Fork it sits on private land and needs the owners' permission; Red Desert Adventure and Zion Adventure Company both run it as a guided trip. Below the Needle the rappels are short, up to about 40 feet, down to the confluence with Oak Creek. The exit is either the privately owned via ferrata, again by permission, or a continuation down Oak Creek into Lower Kolob.
Logistics
| Permit | Required, verify with land manager |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 37.4105, -113.0016 |