Buckskin Gulch Day Hike

Reviews

• 

  vgmarks 5

  27 Jan 2022

  One of the coolest adventures I’ve ever done! I finally stumbled upon Backcountry Found after calling multiple companies in the area and none of them were running Buckskin hikes due to slow season. There were no groups going out I could join, and the other companies were quoting me an insane price to go solo. I wrote to Backcountry Found and they said it would be no problem to take me by myself at their standard price, which was very reasonable compared to other companies as well! They were great to communicate with and my guide Wagner called me the night before to go over all details. I’m pretty confident in my athletic abilities, but am not a super experienced hiker. I was legitimately nervous about the rock scramble, but after reading other reviews I felt like I could do it. Wagner is probably one of the best guides I’ve ever had. His manner put me very at ease when tackling the scramble into the canyon, and he showed me handhold by handhold and foothold by foothold exactly how to execute each step to get me to the bottom safely. He really seems to be an expert hiker, especially in this area, and knows Buckskin Gulch inside and out. I felt extremely safe with him guiding me. A super cool part of the rock scramble is that the Middle Route is actually marked by ancient footholds created by indigenous people and petroglyphs guiding you down into the canyon, so you are literally following in the footsteps of the canyon’s ancestors who executed the same route time and time again over the years. So much cooler than simply hiking into the canyon! I would say that as long as you don’t have major mobility issues, have good shoes with tread, and you follow Wagner’s directions, you will be fine on this part of the hike. Successfully executing the scramble will give you such a huge sense of accomplishment! I would highly recommend Backcountry Found because of this amazing guided experience. Yes, you can do Buckskin on your own, but the usual trafficked routes lead you into huge puddles of mud and water where most people have to abandon the hike and don’t see much. This was an amazing full day adventure; the rock scramble Middle Route drops you off right in the middle of the canyon so you see the best (and driest) parts to hike and as much of the muddier, but photogenic, first section of the canyon as you wish to explore. Since the groups are so small, or private, you can really do as much or little as you want to do and completely customize your experience. Wagner did an amazing job at teaching me about geologic formations and the cultural history of the area; we saw so many cool petroglyphs and ancient artifacts that I would never, ever have noticed myself! He also has a lot of photography experience and took some great shots of me, and I was able to get some cool photos of the canyon myself. I would definitely not have appreciated this hike so much if I had simply gone myself on the standard route. In addition, this route is extremely infrequently trafficked; we only saw 2 other people on the trail and absolutely no one in the canyon the whole day. It is such a must do for nature and adventure lovers. I would absolutely love to hike with Backcountry Found again and you should as well! Ask for Wagner as your guide!

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  Karolina O 5

  17 Sep 2021

  Best hike ever. My guide Wagner was amazing, he made me feel at ease and knew what he was going to T. Highly recommend, the most incredible hike ever!

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  Joseph_D 5

  12 Jul 2021

  I am almost speechless at this experience. It was that amazing. As this was not the private tour, we were not sure if there would be another group joining us. There wasn’t so it was just my friend, myself and our guide, Tom. Tom did a great job coordinating when to pick us up from our hotel as well as checking on any dietary restrictions since he provided lunch. The hike itself was great but Tom made this whole trip that much better. Personally, I am mildly wary of heights. Tom was an excellent guide in navigating us down the gulch. The 100ft descent may sound daunting but it was no sweat. The slot canyon offers incredible photo opportunities and is truly a one-of-a-kind adventure. An added bonus is that Buckskin has very little foot traffic. We saw a total of five other hikers on our trek. You really do get a personalized experience. As long as you are comfortable with some mild rock scaling, this trip is for you!

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  kimberlyk762 5

  19 Jun 2021

  Amazing hike with Wagner Kelley as our guide. It was myself and my 2 teenage kids (15 and 18). Wagner called me 2 days before to go over the meet time, place, and any preparations needed. He met us early at 6:30am due to the predicted heat of the day of 108 degrees. He drove us to the trailhead in his van. What an amazing hike! Wagner immediately began talking to us about the native americans cultures, the geography, the plant life. He was so knowledgeable. Our descent into the canyon was so cool. What a gorgeous hike with spectacular formations, petroglyphs. He had packed a delicious lunch for us and allowed us to go at our own pace- never pushing. The ascent out of the canyon was more difficult for me because the rocks were so hot! Once out he was very patient with us and took it slowly finding multiple shade stops because it was 105 degrees when we hiked the last mile back to the van. All together we put in about 6 miles. At the van he had drinks and watermelon in a cooler. We only saw 2 other people on the hike so it was like we had the place to ourselves. I felt safe the whole time with our guide's experience and knowledge of the terrain. 100% satisfied and what an incredible day. My kids loved it too! Highly recommend if you are up for an adventure.

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  Melissa_B 5

  16 Jun 2021

  Highly recommend booking the Buckskin Gulch Day Hike! Absolutely gorgeous walking through the gulch. Our guide, Marci from Backcountry Found, was very knowledgeable and pointed out several different sights/features along the hike. Backcountry Found made all the arrangements (getting permits, providing transportation, packing snacks and lunch, etc). All we had to do was be ready for a fun adventure! Thank you Marci for guiding us on an amazing hike!

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  AlwaysTakeTheTrip 5

  15 Jun 2021

  Class 3 scramble down/up. 10 miles total. 27,000 steps. Coolest thing - by far - we’ve ever done. It wasn’t easy. But it was so so worth it. Thank you Tom and Backcountry Found for the adventure of a lifetime.

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  foodandfilm 5

  03 Jun 2021

  This hiking experience was incredible. Our guides Tom and Todd did an outstanding job of guiding us into the gulch and providing a lot of interesting information along the way. Part of the trip involves navigation of a sandstone scramble that could have been very challenging without the proper guidance. Our guides got us down with ease. The gulch was extremely beautiful and we saw very few people during our few hours there. It made for fantastic photo opportunities. We were extremely happy that we decided to book this trip and without hesitation, would take another trip with the guides of Backcountry Found.

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  Paul_B 5

  01 Jun 2021

  Tom and Todd were great! Very knowledgeable and helpful! Tom was patient and helped us navigate. Lunch was yummy and I would reco them to anyone wanting to experience a truly awesome adventure and a must see destination!

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  JorgeC4295 5

  23 Jan 2021

  This was an incredible experience and only improved by the knowledge, expertise, patience and kindness displayed by Tom! Even better that not many hikers go through there so you get to connect with nature in an awesome way! Subliminal aspects like the sound of the wind picking up through the slot or the sun beaming through different spots, vegetation add to the imposing character of the slot! Thanks to the guides for facilitating this experience and memorializing the experience with the great photographs!

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now
• 

  janeyjaneNZ 5

  12 Dec 2020

  From first contact, Tom and Todd were wonderful to deal with. My friend was not sure she was up for the downclimb into the canyon on their day hike. Todd sent photos and she decided it was doable. On the day, Tom assisted and all went smoothly. Around ever corner were amazing photo ops, Tom suggested best spots for photos and took a bunch too which he later shared. He pointed out petroglyphs (which we would've walked straight past without knowing) and provided a delicious lunch. The canyon is simply stunning and even though you don't need a guide, Tom's time and guidance were worth every penny (as well as being a knowledgeable and genuinely nice guy). We only saw two others in the canyon while there. Such a wonderful must do experience!

  • Like
  • Dis-Like
  • Report
  • Comments
  • Share Now