Birch Hollow and Orderville Canyon

Zion National Park, UT Zion Area

Trip stats

Distance
10.8 mi
Net Gain
Minimal ft
Time
7-10 hrs
YDS Rating
Class 1
ACA Rating
3A III
Longest Rappel
120 ft
Route
Shuttle

Ratings out of 10

Effort
3.9/10
Personality
8/10
Beauty
9/10
Solitude
5.3/10
What do these mean? →

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

37.309718, -112.856554

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Get directions (opens Google Maps in a new tab)

Trip report

Technical canyon warning

This is a technical canyon requiring canyoneering skills and specialized equipment. If you are not experienced with building anchors or using the gear required for technical canyoneering, do not attempt this route.

Notes

Permit not required for Birch Hollow since it's outside Zion National Park, but continuing down Orderville Canyon does require a permit.

May 31, 2017 — Head down Birch Hollow on a social trail until you get into the sandy wash. Follow the wash until you get to a major drop, which isn't a rappel. Locate the route to the left to avoid the drop. Continue down Birch Hollow, passing one rappel within the wash before entering the narrow section. The narrows of this canyon are stunning, in my opinion, colorful and bright and with some interesting obstacles. After completing Birch Hollow, continue down Orderville Canyon. It's comparable to the Zion Narrows, but without all the people and with some incredibly cool formations, waterfalls, and vegetation. Eventually, you reach the Zion Narrows, which you follow down to the Temple of Sinawava, where you'll likely need to catch a shuttle back to the Visitor Center unless you're doing this on the off-season.

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Photos

60 photos

  1. The route enters Birch Hollow, which progresses from an overgrown trench into a beautiful narrows.
  2. Approaching a dryfall (descent to the left, not a rappel).
  3. First rappel.
  4. Narrows already!
  5. Mini rappels along the way, some of which can be down-climbed.
  6. 100ft rappel, the longest all day.
  7. Looking up the 100ft rappel
  9. Another rappel directly after the 100ft one.
  14. The narrows of Birch Hollow ends, meeting at the Orderville Canyon confluence.
  15. Orderville Canyon starts a bit dry and wide.
  33. A few minor rappels or hand-lines. This one goes directly under a massive boulder chokestone. So cool.
  39. Lots of fun mini waterfalls into water pools
  52. Looking back at the confluence of Orderville Canyon and the Zion Narrows (Virgin River)
  53. The Narrows. We hadn't seen anyone all day until this point.
  59. At the end of The Narrows, starting on the Riverside Walk to get to the shuttle.

Photo 1 of 1

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Hire or refer me as a web developer, or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so it's funded by yours truly. It also takes a ton of work to edit photos and write these reports. I really appreciate it!

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