Shelf Canyon - East Zion National Park

We have had a full day of hiking up to Spry Canyon, but we try to add one more hike to our days agenda before the winter night closes in on us. We drive up towards the big tunnel to find Shelf Canyon. It is the first drainage on the east side of the 1.1 mile tunnel, the Zion Mt. Carmel Tunnel. Shelf Canyon is a great hike through an east side drainage that includes some easy boulder hopping and slickrock climbing. The four of us head up the sandy bottom of the drainage, quickly crossing the slickrock obstacles. Glancing up we notice crossbedding that is a rare find. Toward the end of the hike the walls close in to a narrow slot canyon until the path completes at a series of shelves. Its late in the day and we toy around with the idea of climbing up the obstacle at the end, but decide its better left for a day when we are equipped with technical gear and the days are longer.