The Subway

The Subway is the tubular slot canyon cut by the Left Fork of North Creek, reached from a trailhead on Kolob Terrace Road in Zion's high-country backcountry rather than the main canyon. Most hikers take the bottom-up route: a 9-mile round trip with about 1,300 feet of elevation gain, boulder scrambling, and stretches of wading in ankle-to-knee-deep water that typically takes 6 to 10 hours. The top-down route is a 9.5-mile through-hike for experienced canyoneers only, involving rappels and swims through cold, debris-filled pools.

Before you go

• A wilderness permit is required year-round, through a seasonal lottery, a two-day-ahead daily lottery, or walk-in permits at the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk.
• Group size is capped at 12, and the park recommends a minimum of two people on the technical route.
• Route-finding is genuinely difficult — people get lost here every year — and cold water can require wet or dry suits in winter.