Pandora’s Box in Capitol Reef National Park, UT

Canyoneer Pandora’s Box Capitol Reef National Park, UT

Class 2 3B III (150 ft max) 14.2 miles 1600 gain 9-12 hrs Shuttle Nov 2, 2018
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Pandora’s Box GPX Track

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This is a technical canyon. If you are unfamiliar with how to build anchors or the gear required for canyoneering do not attempt this route.

Starting from the back of the Free Camping just outside of Capitol Reef National Park, head up a social trail to a benchc below the obvious cliff face. Follow the bench around the mesa until it leads up a gully to gain the mesatop. You pass some petrified wood along the way. From the mesatop, head northeast until you get to the head of Pandora's Box. The canyon is overall pretty straightforward with a few rappels and widens and narrows multiple times. The prettiest sections appear to be like a maze of sandstone, but the main canyon is easy to follow. One section to note is the high stemming part of the canyon, where you need to get high up to avoid a thinner-than-human slot section. If this is scary, you can also avoid the high stemming by backtracking a hundred feet or so and heading up a ramp on the south side of the canyon, with easy route-finding back down into the canyon. The final two rappels consist of a short rap to the big drop, followed by the final rap out of Pandora's Box. Follow Spring Creek Canyon for a bunch of miles to a junction, where you then head west to join the Chimney Rock Trail back to the main road.

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Starting up from the free campsite parking area to the bench above.
Starting up from the free campsite parking area to the bench above.
Following the bench on a social trail.
Following the bench on a social trail.
Some petrified wood along the way.
Some petrified wood along the way.
After wrapping around the bench, the gully to scramble up comes into view (right). A social trail leads right to it.
After wrapping around the bench, the gully to scramble up comes into view (right). A social trail leads right to it.
Heading up the gully.
Heading up the gully.
At the top of the gully, looking back down.
At the top of the gully, looking back down.
Walking across the mesa top on the way to Pandora's Box.
Walking across the mesa top on the way to Pandora's Box.
Entering Pandora's Box Canyon.
Entering Pandora's Box Canyon.
First rappel.
First rappel.
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A bunch of rappels and obstacles, nothing particularly crazy.
A bunch of rappels and obstacles, nothing particularly crazy.
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Fun short down-climbs.
Fun short down-climbs.
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Pandora's Box opens up from narrows into wider sections like this one a few times.
Pandora's Box opens up from narrows into wider sections like this one a few times.
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The R rated section comes up shortly after this. In the center of this photo is a ramp that you can use to avoid the R section by heading up the ramp and keeping to the right side to get back down into the canyon.
The R rated section comes up shortly after this. In the center of this photo is a ramp that you can use to avoid the R section by heading up the ramp and keeping to the right side to get back down into the canyon.
If you chose to do the R rated section, here it is.
If you chose to do the R rated section, here it is.
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Entering back into narrows.
Entering back into narrows.
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Some more beautiful narrows a bit before the final rappel.
Some more beautiful narrows a bit before the final rappel.
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Final rappel.
Final rappel.
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Looking up at the rappel.
Looking up at the rappel.
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Continuing out of Pandora's Box toward Spring Creek Canyon.
Continuing out of Pandora's Box toward Spring Creek Canyon.
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Junction with Spring Creek Canyon. Apparently there's a scramble route if you go left, but we took the easier route - head down Spring Creek Canyon and join the Chimney Rock Trail.
Junction with Spring Creek Canyon. Apparently there's a scramble route if you go left, but we took the easier route - head down Spring Creek Canyon and join the Chimney Rock Trail.
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Pretty fall colors within Spring Creek Canyon.
Pretty fall colors within Spring Creek Canyon.
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Junction with the Chimney Rock Trail. We came from the right in this photo and went left. Behind me is further down-stream within Spring Creek Canyon.
Junction with the Chimney Rock Trail. We came from the right in this photo and went left. Behind me is further down-stream within Spring Creek Canyon.
Heading up toward Mummy Cliff - Chimney Rock Trail becomes apparent soon. We ran out of daylight for photos.
Heading up toward Mummy Cliff - Chimney Rock Trail becomes apparent soon. We ran out of daylight for photos.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!