Behunin Canyon Gear Checklist
Behunin Canyon is a rope day, not a wet one. It starts on the West Rim Trail above the Grotto and drops through eight or nine rappels, the last one into the Emerald Pools bowl. The people who wrote about it talk about rope length, snagged pulls, a long dry approach and whether the wetsuit was worth hauling. The park wants a wilderness permit and a party of six or fewer.
What shapes your gear on Behunin Canyon
- Route shape
- Per the guide, a climb of around two hours on the West Rim Trail leads to the canyon head. After that come eight rappels and a closing 165-foot drop into the Emerald Pools cirque. Another writer counted nine bolted rappels, started from the Grotto shuttle stop and finished on the Kayenta Trail back to the Grotto.
From Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park and Stav is Lost
- Time on the clock
- Canyoneering USA estimates 7 to 10 hours. Logged times in the Road Trip Ryan tick list run from 5 hours 30 minutes to 9.5 hours (that one included Angels Landing), and one 2026 logger says to expect 8 to 9 hours.
From Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park and Road Trip Ryan
- Distance and climb
- Stav is Lost measured the loop at 7.1 miles with about 2,600 feet of net gain and listed 170 feet as the longest rappel.
From Stav is Lost
- Season
- The guide calls fall the best season. Summer is hot because the canyon faces south and has almost no shade, and in spring snow and ice may block the last part of the trail up to Behunin Pass. In winter the high ground is usually impossible after the first snow.
- How wet it is
- Logged conditions vary. Several 2024 and 2026 loggers describe it as very dry or nearly dry. One November 2025 logger found unavoidable belly-deep water in the pothole at the third rappel from the end. The guide says to expect perhaps one short swim, and spring melt can make it flow.
From Road Trip Ryan and Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park
- A winter day
- In February 2001 a guide author descended in sunshine on a bright day, but found snow and ice on the slabs where the canyon turns east, ice water calf deep in the sandy corridor, and a snowstorm starting as they finished about an hour before dark.
From Canyoneering USA: Winter Canyons: Behunin and Echo, Zion National Park
- Flash flood risk
- The guide rates the risk low to moderate, since the basin that feeds the canyon is small and long narrows with no way out are rare.
What the agency requires on Behunin Canyon
A wilderness permit for the rope descent
The park requires a permit for any canyon that needs descending gear or ropes. You collect it at the desk for wilderness permits inside the Zion Canyon Visitor Center, one day ahead or on the morning you go.
From National Park Service, Zion National Park: Wilderness Regulations
A party of six or fewer
The park lists Behunin Canyon among the canyons limited to six people, and says a group means everyone sharing an affiliation who enters the same drainage that day, even with separate permits.
From National Park Service, Zion National Park: Laws and Policies and National Park Service, Zion National Park: Wilderness Regulations
Two people at a minimum
The park recommends at least two people for any technical canyon that involves rope, webbing or other descending devices.
From National Park Service, Zion National Park: Wilderness Regulations
A human waste bag for each person
Permit groups must carry at least one human waste disposal bag per person, and human waste and toilet paper come out of narrow canyons.
From National Park Service, Zion National Park: Wilderness Regulations
Any rope you find, taken out with you
The park asks canyoneers not to leave ropes in canyons, and to pack out abandoned ropes, even old or damaged ones.
From National Park Service, Zion National Park: Wilderness Regulations
What hikers carry on Behunin Canyon
Ropes long enough for the biggest drops
The longest drop is about 165 to 170 feet according to two writers. A 2026 logger reports that a 210-foot rope plus a 120-foot rope fell short on the second rappel but fit the last rappel perfectly, so plan lengths for each drop rather than one total.
From Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park, Stav is Lost and Road Trip Ryan
A helmet, a rappel device, webbing and rapid links
The guide lists exactly this kit as the essentials and says most anchors are fixed bolts and trees. It also says the canyon is no place for a beginner to learn, since you are on your own once inside.
Extra webbing and a plan for the rope pull
Snagged ropes are the repeating complaint. A June 2026 group stuck their rope on the second-to-last rappel even with a toggle, and another logger wrote that the last two are easy to jam. A November 2025 logger tied extra webbing at a chockstone pinch and took hardware off the rope before pulling.
From Road Trip Ryan, Stav is Lost and Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park
Lots of water
Water in the canyon is generally stagnant, so you carry what you drink. The guide wants an early start and plenty of water in summer, and a May 2024 logger wrote down that next time they would bring a lot more.
From Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park and Road Trip Ryan
A headlamp
A logger in October 2026 said to expect 8 to 9 hours and to bring a headlamp. The winter party was out only about an hour before dark and still had half an hour of rope pulling left.
From Road Trip Ryan and Canyoneering USA: Winter Canyons: Behunin and Echo, Zion National Park
Warm layers for the approach and the shade
A November 2022 logger found it very cold, with a high of 49 in Springdale. In February the canyon had ice on the slabs and ice water at the bottom.
From Road Trip Ryan and Canyoneering USA: Winter Canyons: Behunin and Echo, Zion National Park
6 people can go on one permit. Split this list between them so nobody carries two stoves.
Plan a trip hereWhat hikers regret or leave behind on Behunin Canyon
A wetsuit hauled up the whole approach
One May 2024 logger carried wetsuits uphill for hours and found the canyon mostly dry. Another group in June 2026 never got their feet wet. The guide advises a wetsuit only in cold weather, so check the recent conditions before deciding.
From Road Trip Ryan and Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park
Assuming it will be dry in winter or spring
The guide says the canyon is popular in cold months on the belief that it stays dry. Snowmelt can change that, and one canyoneer hung for hours on a rope beneath a waterfall until the park rescue team reached him.
A late start
The guide singles out the ability to get up early and be on the trail as a real skill for this canyon, and it warns that the south-facing walls give almost no shade in summer. The winter party, with a short day, still finished close to dark.
From Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park and Canyoneering USA: Winter Canyons: Behunin and Echo, Zion National Park
Gear questions for Behunin Canyon
Do I need a permit for Behunin Canyon?
Yes. The park requires a wilderness permit for any canyon that uses ropes or descending gear. You collect it from the visitor center desk in Zion Canyon, one day ahead or on the morning you go. The group limit is six people.
From National Park Service, Zion National Park: Wilderness Regulations and National Park Service, Zion National Park: Laws and Policies
Do I need a wetsuit for Behunin Canyon?
It depends on the season and recent weather. Canyoneering USA calls a wetsuit advisable in cold weather, but loggers in May 2024 and June 2026 found the canyon mostly dry. In November 2025 a logger met belly-deep water in one pothole.
From Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park and Road Trip Ryan
How long are the ropes needed in Behunin Canyon?
The longest drop is a bit under 170 feet. One 2026 logger found 210 plus 120 feet of rope fell short on the second rappel but was a perfect fit for the last one.
From Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park, Stav is Lost and Road Trip Ryan
How long does Behunin Canyon take?
Canyoneering USA says 7 to 10 hours. Loggers report anywhere from 5 hours 30 minutes up to 9.5 hours including an Angels Landing side trip.
From Canyoneering USA: Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park and Road Trip Ryan
Sources
- Wilderness Regulations · National Park Service, Zion National Park · Agency
- Laws and Policies · National Park Service, Zion National Park · Agency
- Behunin Canyon, Zion National Park · Canyoneering USA, Tom Jones · Blog
- Winter Canyons: Behunin and Echo, Zion National Park · Canyoneering USA, Tom Jones · Trip report
- Behunin Canyon trip stats and tick logs · Road Trip Ryan · Forum thread
- Behunin Canyon · Stav is Lost · Trip report