By Roger Naylor
No one understands canyons like Arizona… some are expansive and even Grand; some are intimate. All are beautiful.
Crater Canyon Exploration falls into the intimate category.
Located on Castle Hot Springs property, Crater Canyon cuts a small yet deep gash in the Bradshaw Mountains. It’s a slender chasm framed by high rugged cliffs. But on the rocky floor close to the ground, it wraps around you with water-polished walls, a picture-perfect slot canyon.
“Slot canyons are iconic symbols of the Southwest,” says Glenn Slattery, Director of Adventures. “Come with our guides to explore 1,000-foot-high canyon walls that soar overhead as you venture into a narrow slot carved by millions of years of water.”
This is the adventure visitors to Castle Hot Springs didn’t even know they craved. Venturing into such a narrow gorge is like exploring a new world. You are cut off from your surroundings by towering cliffs. Nothing else exists but the plants and rocks and wildlife that crowd into this confined space with you.
“Guests are so surprised that we have this hidden gem on our property and within comfortable walking distance from the Lodge,” says Slattery. “We’ve had guests say it is beyond expectations and often a highlight of their stay at Castle Hot Springs.”
The guided adventure starts from the main resort area. Be sure to wear sturdy hiking shoes. You’ll be glad you did later on. Hike onto a trail where you’ll climb cactus-lined slopes. Guides will pause frequently to discuss the surrounding plant life, geology, and amazing ecosystems of the Sonoran Desert. You’ll hike up the wide sandy wash of Castle Creek Canyon and learn the story of the Wells Fargo cave that was used as a primitive secret safe deposit box during the era of stagecoach robberies. It serves as a good reminder that Arizona was once the raggedy edge of the western frontier.
Soon afterward you’ll move through a small wooded grove and enter Crater Canyon. You’ll walk up the graveled floor as the walls rise around you. Slot canyons are narrow channels carved by the soft knife of water rushing through rock. A Desert is a land with limited water yet the water remains the most powerful force in shaping the terrain. You can see the evidence of eons of flash floods, and angry torrents that left behind smooth scalloped walls.
As you enter the narrowest part of Crater Canyon, the tour pauses in a small alcove. It’s not a rest break as much as it’s a mindfulness break. This is a chance to stop for a moment and listen to nothing—or everything. Cut off from the rest of the world, no outside sounds intrude on this space. The quiet cradles you. You feel your breathing slow down.
“We take time to enjoy the sounds of nature in its purest form,” says Slattery. “Recently I had two guests from New York. For them, seeing such rugged beauty was astounding. They loved the contrast between silence and the sounds of water trickling down the canyon.”
Now you’re ready for some thrills. This is where each guest climbs into a safety harness and clips onto anchored cables. You’ll navigate the polished rock working your way first along a natural ledge and then onto a series of wooden planks attached to the canyon walls. This is the heart of Crater Canyon.
Don’t worry – guides will offer plenty of encouragement and always stand ready to help, but part of the fun is overcoming each minor challenge on your own.
Climbing down a series of metal rungs to the canyon floor allows for a little additional exploration. This shady bend in the gorge often harbors a seasonal stream. The sound of water spilling over boulders and through carved channels in a series of small cascades fills the canyon and narrows like a tranquil little symphony. There is no sweeter desert song.
“We want guests to come away from this experience with an appreciation of the Sonoran Desert, says Slattery. “We want them to gain an appreciation of the history of Castle Hot Springs and an appreciation of their own ability to pursue adventure and unique experiences. On the hike back we point out our other two experiences, the West Wall and Castle Peak, and oftentimes people sign up for one because their time in Crater Canyon gave them confidence and they had so much fun.”
Learn more about this activity here, Crater Canyon Exploration