Heaps Canyon Permit: Route
Heaps Canyon permits are booked by advance reservation in Zion National Park. The route covers 8 miles.
Descend through Zion's most notorious technical canyon, where 14 rappels and chest-deep pools demand expert skills in one of the Southwest's premier canyoneering challenges.
This guide covers the Heaps Canyon permit.
12-16 hours
Duration
8 miles
Distance
500'
Elevation Gain
expert
Difficulty
About Heaps Canyon
Heaps Canyon is Zion's most demanding technical canyoneering route. The descent includes 14 rappels (up to 300 feet), multiple keeper pools requiring swimming, and an 8-mile approach/exit. Expect 12-16 hours gate to gate. This canyon has killed experienced canyoneers. It is not an introduction to the sport. Permit competition is fierce because qualified canyoneers recognize this as a bucket-list descent.
Heaps Canyon is the gold standard of Zion canyoneering. It's earned its reputation through sheer difficulty: 14 rappels (the longest 300 feet), mandatory keeper pools, and a commitment level that has claimed lives. Completing Heaps is a rite of passage. It separates casual canyoneers from those who've truly mastered the craft.
The Heaps Canyon route
- Distance
- 8 miles
- Route type
- point-to-point
- Elevation gain
- 500 ft
- High point
- 6,800 ft
- Low point
- 4,300 ft
- Trip length
- 12-16 hours
- Difficulty
- expert
Points along the route
- Phantom Valley TrailheadMile 0, 6,800 ft
- Canyon RimMile 3.5, 6,200 ft
- First Rappel SequenceMile 4, 5,800 ft
- The Dark SectionMile 5, 5,200 ft
- 300-Foot RappelMile 6, 4,800 ft
- Exit PoolsMile 7, 4,400 ft
- Virgin River ExitMile 8, 4,300 ft
Heaps Canyon permit detailsandAll Zion National Park permits
The Experience
The first rappel commits you. There's no walking out from here. Each rappel drops you deeper into a slot that grows narrower and darker. The water is always cold, always present. You swim through keeper pools that offer no ledge, no rest, just forward motion until the next anchor. Then the canyon opens and you're looking out over Zion Canyon from inside a cathedral of stone. You made it.
Access begins at the Phantom Valley Trailhead with a long approach hike to the canyon rim. The first technical move is a 15-foot downclimb into the drainage. From here, the canyon begins its relentless descent.
The rappels come in quick succession: 60 feet, 80 feet, 120 feet. The slot narrows to arm's width while the walls rise overhead. Keeper pools force swims between rappels. The longest drop, a free-hanging 300-footer, offers no contact with the wall and no escape.
The final exits into the Virgin River near The Grotto, completing a day that typically runs 12-16 hours.
What to Expect
14 rappels ranging from 30 to 300 feet
Multiple keeper pools (no standing, must swim)
8-mile total distance including approach
12-16 hours typical completion time
No escape route once committed
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Permit Requirements
Wilderness permit required (lottery system)
Group size limit of 6 people — only Orderville, Keyhole, Pine Creek, the Left Fork (Subway) and the Narrows top-down are allowed 12
Commercial guiding prohibited
All gear must be self-provided
No fixed gear may be left behind
Gear & Preparation
Required Gear
- •200-foot rope minimum (300 ft recommended for double-strand on big drops)
- •Full canyoneering harness
- •Rappel device with backup friction capability
- •Helmet (mandatory)
- •Wetsuit (water is 55°F year-round)
Recommended Gear
- •Drysuit for spring/fall descents
- •Pull cord for retrieving ropes
- •Ascenders for emergency
- •Waterproof containers for camera
- •Energy food (high-calorie, compact)
Hazards & Safety
Flash floods. Instant death in this canyon. Check weather obsessively.
Hypothermia from extended cold water immersion
Equipment failure on long drops has fatal consequences
Keeper pools offer no rest. Must maintain swimming stamina.
Rockfall. Loose terrain on approach and within canyon.
Best Time to Visit
June-September for warmest water. Spring and fall are cold but offer lower flash flood risk. Never enter if rain is in any forecast for the watershed.
100+ wilderness permits, extensive backcountry experience
This guide is based on personal experience obtaining wilderness permits and is regularly updated to reflect current policies and strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a Heaps Canyon permit?
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Heaps Canyon permits require advance reservations. Book online as soon as reservations open for your desired dates.
When is the best time to visit Heaps Canyon?
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June-September for warmest water. Spring and fall are cold but offer lower flash flood risk. Never enter if rain is in any forecast for the watershed.
How long is the Heaps Canyon route?
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The route is 8 miles, as a point-to-point. Plan on 12-16 hours.
How difficult is the Heaps Canyon route?
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Expert canyoneers with extensive multi-pitch rappelling experience and strong swimming ability.
What gear do I need for the Heaps Canyon route?
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Essential gear includes: 200-foot rope minimum (300 ft recommended for double-strand on big drops), Full canyoneering harness, Rappel device with backup friction capability, Helmet (mandatory), Wetsuit (water is 55°F year-round).
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