Zebra and Tunnel Slot - Escalante
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Overview:
Rating: Easy Hiking
Length: 3-5 hours
Season: Any, although summers can be hot.
Hype:
Zebra and Tunnel Slot are both very unique and distinct spots. Often photographed, Zebra has amazing pink strips. Tunnel, as the name implies, is a short section of slot resembling a tunnel. Bring your camera and your kids, this is a great family outing.Trailhead:
Head east out of the town of Escalante about 5 miles on highway 12 until the well signed Hole in the Rock road. Go down the Hole in the Rock road 8 miles to where it crosses a cattle guard. This is .2 miles before Halfway Hollow. Just after the cattle guard there is a parking spot on the right (south) side of the road. This is the trailhead.Route Description:
From the trailhead, cross the road
and find a well traveled hikers path on the north side of
the road near the cattle guard. Follow this north while it
meanders it's way down to Halfway Hollow. The trail is well
defined and well cairned. It will take 40-50 minutes to
reach the bottom of Halfway Hollow. Near the bottom the
trail cuts left over low meanders and heads directly for
Zebra. Follow it, crossing Harris Wash, and heading for
the first obvious side canyon.
Zebra is wide open where it joins Harris Wash, but becomes deeper and narrower within 10 minutes of heading up it. Where it narrows, you may encounter a few pools from ankle to waist deep. 15 minutes up canyon you will enter the short, but amazing Zebra section that ends at a small dryfall you can upclimb. This is the best section of Zebra. Above the small dryfall is a large pothole and the canyon opens. Head back down to Harris Wash when finished.
To reach tunnel, go down Harris Wash a little less than a mile (20-30 minutes) from Zebra to the first side canyon coming in on the left. Go up this side canyon about 10 minutes to reach the Tunnel. It can be dry, or a deep pool.
Return up Harris Wash to Halfway Hollow and follow the trail back to the trailhead.
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