Canyoneering Route Description

Zebra and Tunnel Slots - 2A(B) II(III)
Escalante National Monument, Utah.

Quick Facts

05-10-20, 2 people, 1 Day (Travel time in route 4.2 hours) Pictures Icon

Time Required - 3 to 5 hours
Distance - 6.4 miles Total, 800 feet of scenic canyon
Rappels - 0 Rappels
Elevation Range - 5350 - 5110 Feet
Shuttle Required - No Vehicle - Passenger - High Clearance, 4WD if bad road conditions Permit Required - No

Gear Used for Canyon

No technical gear is needed but bring food and water as this hike takes a little time.

General Comments

The route described here follows a use trail about 2 miles down Halfway Hollow to Harris Wash. Once in Harris Wash veer slight left (north) and go over to the bottom of Zebra Slot and up climb it as far as you can then turn back and come down Zebra again. After exiting the bottom of Zebra Slot, follow east up a ravine / pass over into Tunnel Slot. Descend Tunnel Slot to Harris Wash then turn west going back up Harris Wash back to Halfway Hollow where you will follow the use trail back to the car.

Expect up to waist or chest deep water at times which is why the water rating of A(B).

The overall route is 6.4 miles round trip. Zebra Slot is a little over 500 feet long and very pretty. The cool tunnel portion of Tunnel Slot is only about 360 feet long. Both of these pretty sections are short but well worth seeing. This route is best done in comfortable hiking weather and the expectation of an easy desert hike and a couple short but very scenic spots to see.

There is a fence you will cross while traveling the ravine / pass from the bottom of Zebra to the top of Tunnel that you will need to open part of the fence to cross it. Be sure to close the fence behind you.

Note: The top of Zebra Canyon has a few drops that are difficult to upclimb. On the way up after traversing a deep pothole we got up some of these but got stopped by a 15 foot overhung lip on the up canyon side of a swimmer pothole and steep side walls that were a little too steep to be considered safe so we reversed back down Zebra.

Note: A prepared technical canyoneer could go up Tunnel Slot from the bottom then route find to the top of Zebra Slot and use pack drag anchors and a short rope to drop down into the top of Zebra then down Zebra and back to the cars. If you choose to do this, bring a short rope of 15 to 20 feet and be prepared to use your back packs as dragging anchors. There will also be one pothole that can be difficult to traverse on the LDC side that may need partner assist or a tossed backpack to get out of if you can not cross it. The route down Zebra Canyon should only be considered by those with technical canyoneering skills. Beginner canyoneers or casual hikers should go up Zebra as far as they can then back down.

Driving Directions

To get to the Trailhead

From the city of Escalante drive about 4 miles southeast on Hwy 12 to the turn off for Hole-In-The-Rock road on the right (extHoleInRock). The condition of the dirt Hole in the Rock road varies a lot with recent rains and road maintenance.  High clearance may be needed in extreme cases but most of the time passenger cars will be fine.

Travel about 8 miles to large parking area (PkZebraTunnel) on the right (southwest) side of the road and park there.

To leave the Exit Vehicle / Escape Pod

No exit vehicle is needed.  This is done as an out and back loop.

Maps

GPS coordinate information listed at the bottom.  For information about waypoint naming and map symbols, refer to the Glossary page.

Map Link Icon
Click the links for maps of the route. Map of the drive into the route.
Map of the entire route.

Details

The Approach:
From the parking area (pkZebraTunnel) walk east across the Hole in the Rock Road and follow a well used use-trail east away from the road. The use-trail is well used and easy to follow as it crosses over multiple washes along the way. Sometimes the trail will drop into a wash and follow it for a little bit and other times the trail crosses a wash to continue on the other side. The trail is roughly following down Halfway Hollow until it meets Harris Wash about 2 miles east from the Hole in the Rock Road.

About 1.3 miles from the road is  a hanging fence / cattle guard (ZebraTunnel01) across the wash. You can either walk up and around it it or push through it to continue.

About 0.6 miles farther is the bottom of Halfway Hollow (jHalfwayBt) where it drops into Harris Wash.

The Zebra and Tunnel Loop:
To go to the bottom of Zebra Canyon follow use trails north down to then up the Zebra Wash about 0.4 miles north.

When you get to the bottom of Zebra (yZebraBt) hike up as far as you can and enjoy.  Expect up to waist deep water in places. One of the most scenic spots in Zebra Slot is about 500 feet up from the bottom.

Just up canyon of the scenic spot in Zebra is a v shaped upclimb (Zebra01) of about 10 feet followed by a deep pothole. This pothole marks the end of the road for most. The most scenic part of the canyon is the short section of undulated walls down canyon of this upclimb and pothole.

Note:
The deep pothole is difficult but can be traversed on the east side and requires some scrambling skills to get by. The pothole is deep and was water filled to an unknown depth when we were there. Up canyon of this pothole is a dry fall of about 12 feet that can be upclimbed by skilled upclimbers using a pack toss anchor. Above the upclimb are two potholes with a 15 foot overhung lip on the up canyon end and steep walls preventing safe exit from the canyon.

After returning back down Zebra Canyon to its bottom end (yZebraBt) travel east up a ravine / pass a few hundred feet away.

Near the top out of the pass the route crosses through a fence (ZebraPass01) on the way up and over from the bottom of Zebra to the top of Tunnel. If you open part of the fence, close it behind you.

About 1000 feet farther east is a steep ravine leading down (ZebraPass02) into Tunnel Slot. Scramble east down the ravine into Tunnel Slot.

About 0.28 miles farther is a pour off joining in from the left (north) is actually the main drainage of Tunnel Slot even though it feels like the deep ravine you are in is. Follow the ravine down Tunnel as the drainage makes a sweeping turn to head south.

Note:
If you want to see the upper portions of Tunnel Slot you can scramble up the pour off into the upper portions of Tunnel. The upper portion is easy travel in and around vegetation and shallow v slot.

Continue south down a short distance to the top end of the tunnel (yTunnelTp) portion of Tunnel Slot. The 360 foot long tunnel is very scenic and may have up to waist deep water.

At the bottom end of the tunnel (yTunnelBt) the walls widen to wide sandy wash continuing down canyon.  Continue south down wide wash for about 1000 feet to Harris Wash.

Once at the end of the Tunnel Slot drainage at Harris Wash (jTunnelBt) turn right and walk west up Harris Wash about 0.8 miles to Halfway Hollow.

The Exit:
Once at Halfway Hollow (jHalfwayBt) turn left and follow the use-trail about 2 miles back to your cars at the parking spot (pkZebraTunnel).

GPS Waypoint Information

Downloadable GPX files available at BG-Gear Store (easier than manual entry and a great way to support Bluugnome).
Waypoint naming convention and map symbol information can be found on the Glossary page.  Elevations are approximate.
BEFORE manually entering coordinates set your system to WGS84 datum and Lat/Lon hddd.ddddd° coordinate format. 
Inconsistent datum's and coordinate formats will result in location errors.

Click to show / expand the list of waypoints below........
Zebra and Tunnel (1) - Drive in to Trailhead
  1. extHoleInRock          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.72769   W -111.53143        Elev: NaN Feet
    Turn off to Hole-In-The-Rock road from Hwy 12.
  2. extCedarWash          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.68937   W -111.49554        Elev: 0 Feet
    Turn off to Cedar Wash Road to the west.
  3. pkZebraTunnel          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63941   W -111.44560        Elev: 5,350 Feet
    Parking area for Zebra and Tunnel slots on the west side of the road just after passing a cattle gaurd on the drive into Hole in the Rock Road. To go to Zebra and Tunnel Slots, walk east across the Hole in the Rock Road and follow a well used use-trail east away from the road. The use-trail is well used and easy to follow as it crosses over multiple washes along the way. Sometimes the trail will drop into a wash and follow it for a little bit and other times the trail crosses a wash to continue on the other side. The trail is roughly following down Halfway Hollow until it meets Harris Wash about 2 miles east from the Hole in the Rock Road.
Zebra and Tunnel (2) - Approach
  1. pkZebraTunnel          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63941   W -111.44560        Elev: 5,350 Feet
    Parking area for Zebra and Tunnel slots on the west side of the road just after passing a cattle gaurd on the drive into Hole in the Rock Road. To go to Zebra and Tunnel Slots, walk east across the Hole in the Rock Road and follow a well used use-trail east away from the road. The use-trail is well used and easy to follow as it crosses over multiple washes along the way. Sometimes the trail will drop into a wash and follow it for a little bit and other times the trail crosses a wash to continue on the other side. The trail is roughly following down Halfway Hollow until it meets Harris Wash about 2 miles east from the Hole in the Rock Road.
  2. ZebraTunnel01          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.64988   W -111.42848        Elev: 5,220 Feet
    A hanging fence / cattle guard across the wash. You can either walk up and around it it or push through it to continue.
  3. jHalfwayBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65506   W -111.41985        Elev: 5,160 Feet
    Bottom of Halfway Hollow where it drops into Harris Wash. To go to the bottom of Zebra Canyon follow use trails north down to then up the Zebra Wash about 0.4 miles north. To go to the bottom of Tunnel Canyon follow use trails east down Harris Wash about 0.75 miles.
Zebra and Tunnel (3) - Zebra and Tunnel Loop
  1. jHalfwayBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65506   W -111.41985        Elev: 5,160 Feet
    Bottom of Halfway Hollow where it drops into Harris Wash. To go to the bottom of Zebra Canyon follow use trails north down to then up the Zebra Wash about 0.4 miles north. To go to the bottom of Tunnel Canyon follow use trails east down Harris Wash about 0.75 miles.
  2. yZebraBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.66106   W -111.41726        Elev: 5,190 Feet
    Bottom of Zebra Slot. Hike up as far as you can and enjoy. Expect up to waist deep water in places. One of the most scenic spots in Zebra Slot is about 500 feet up from the bottom. To go to the top of Tunnel Slot travel east up a ravine / pass a few hundred feet away.
  3. Zebra01          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.66242   W -111.41720        Elev: 5,215 Feet
    A v shaped upclimb of about 10 feet followed by a deep pothole. This pothole marks the end of the road for most. The most scenic part of the canyon is the short section of undulated walls down canyon of this upclimb and pothole. Note: The deep pothole is difficult but can be traversed on the east side and requires some scrambling skills to get by. The pothole is deep and was water filled to an unknown depth when we were there. Up canyon of this pothole is a dry fall of about 12 feet that can be upclimbed by skilled upclimbers using a pack toss anchor. Above the upclimb are two potholes with a 15 foot overhung lip on the up canyon end and steep walls preventing safe exit from the canyon.
  4. yZebraTp          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.66266   W -111.41676        Elev: 5,230 Feet
    Top of Zebra Slot. A few potholes prevent travel up canyon to here.
  5. ZebraPass01          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65951   W -111.41487        Elev: 5,230 Feet
    Route crosses through a fence on the way up and over from the bottom of Zebra to the top of Tunnel. If you open part of the fence, close it behind you.
  6. ZebraPass02          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65842   W -111.41107        Elev: 5,215 Feet
    Steep ravine leading down into Tunnel Slot. Scramble east down the ravine into Tunnel Slot.
  7. Tunnel 01          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65668   W -111.40638        Elev: NaN Feet
    As you come down the ragvine into Tunnel Slot a pour off joining in from the left (north) is actually the main drainage of Tunnel Slot even though it feels like the deep ravine you are in is. Follow the ravine down Tunnel as the drainage makes a sweeping turn to head south. Note: If you want to see the upper portions of Tunnel Slot you can scramble up the pour off into the upper portions of Tunnel. The upper portion is easy travel in and around vegetation and shallow v slot.
  8. yTunnelTp          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65647   W -111.40614        Elev: 5,165 Feet
    Top end of the tunnel portion of Tunnel Slot. The 360 foot long tunnel is very scenic and may have up to waist deep water.
  9. yTunnelBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65552   W -111.40645        Elev: 5,160 Feet
    Bottom end of the tunnel portion of Tunnel Slot. The walls widen to wide sandy wash continuing down canyon.
  10. jTunnelBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65232   W -111.40639        Elev: 5,110 Feet
    Bottom of Tunnel Slot where it drops into Harris Wash. To go back to the cars walk west up Harris Wash about 0.8 miles to Halfway Hollow.
  11. jHalfwayBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65506   W -111.41985        Elev: 5,160 Feet
    Bottom of Halfway Hollow where it drops into Harris Wash. To go to the bottom of Zebra Canyon follow use trails north down to then up the Zebra Wash about 0.4 miles north. To go to the bottom of Tunnel Canyon follow use trails east down Harris Wash about 0.75 miles.
Zebra and Tunnel (4) - Exit
  1. jHalfwayBt          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.65506   W -111.41985        Elev: 5,160 Feet
    Bottom of Halfway Hollow where it drops into Harris Wash. To go to the bottom of Zebra Canyon follow use trails north down to then up the Zebra Wash about 0.4 miles north. To go to the bottom of Tunnel Canyon follow use trails east down Harris Wash about 0.75 miles.
  2. ZebraTunnel01          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.64988   W -111.42848        Elev: 5,220 Feet
    A hanging fence / cattle guard across the wash. You can either walk up and around it it or push through it to continue.
  3. pkZebraTunnel          Lat/Lon (WGS84):  N 37.63941   W -111.44560        Elev: 5,350 Feet
    Parking area for Zebra and Tunnel slots on the west side of the road just after passing a cattle gaurd on the drive into Hole in the Rock Road. To go to Zebra and Tunnel Slots, walk east across the Hole in the Rock Road and follow a well used use-trail east away from the road. The use-trail is well used and easy to follow as it crosses over multiple washes along the way. Sometimes the trail will drop into a wash and follow it for a little bit and other times the trail crosses a wash to continue on the other side. The trail is roughly following down Halfway Hollow until it meets Harris Wash about 2 miles east from the Hole in the Rock Road.

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