Buckskin Gulch is the slot canyon that runs from the Utah-Arizona border south through the Vermilion Cliffs, joining Paria Canyon and continuing to the Colorado River at Lees Ferry. The full through-hike is 21 miles of slot-canyon walking with no maintained tread, no signage, multiple obligatory pool-crossings, and a single rappel that some parties handle by chimney-climbing instead. It's one of the most committing canyon hikes in the Southwest.
What "longest slot canyon" means
Buckskin runs in slot character — walls 10 to 30 feet apart, hundreds of feet tall, no escape routes for miles — for over 13 miles continuously. This is exceptional. Most slot canyons run a few hundred yards before opening up; Buckskin runs for hours of walking. The total length of the canyon system from Wire Pass to the Paria confluence is 13 miles; from Wire Pass to Lees Ferry is over 38 miles via Paria.
The through-hike logistics
Most parties shuttle a vehicle from the Wire Pass Trailhead to the Lees Ferry exit (or use a paid shuttle service from Kanab) and walk through over two or three days. Backcountry permits are required for any overnight; permits are issued by BLM Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness through Recreation.gov, with a daily quota that fills up months in advance during the high seasons. Day hikes into Buckskin from the Wire Pass entry are permitted without a backcountry permit — you can walk in several miles, see the slot, and turn around.
What you encounter
The slot bottom is variable: sand, gravel, occasional pools that you must wade or swim, fallen logs from past floods, the rare exit pour-over. The "Cesspool" — a notorious chest-deep stagnant pool in the middle of the canyon — is the section most parties remember. After dry years it's less of an obstacle; after wet years it can be hip-deep and slow. The "Rock Jam" is a section where boulders the size of houses block the canyon and require either a rappel or a body-jam climb-down. Most experienced parties handle it with a 30-foot rope and webbing.
Flash flood is the killer
Buckskin's appeal — the long, deep, narrow slot — is also what makes it deadly. There is no escape from the slot for miles at a time. Storms in the upper Paria Plateau can deliver flash pulses with little warning. Multiple deaths have happened in Buckskin over the decades. BLM rangers strongly discourage entry during monsoon season (July–early September) and post the daily flash flood probability at the trailheads. Even outside monsoon season, weather-based judgment is essential.
Permit lottery realities
Overnight permits are issued through Recreation.gov in a competitive lottery. Spring and fall slots fill within minutes of release. Walk-up permits are sometimes available for less popular dates and are issued at the BLM Paria Contact Station near US-89. Day-use permits (for parties not staying overnight) are self-served at the Wire Pass trailhead with a fee.
What you carry
Real backcountry kit: lightweight pack, sleeping bag, water filter or treatment (the canyon has water but it's silty), 30-foot rope minimum, dry bags for gear that can't get wet, headlamp, paper map (cell service is zero in the canyon and most of the approach), the discipline to turn around if the weather forecast shifts.
Where it fits
Buckskin is the multi-day backcountry trip serious slot-canyon hikers come to Kane County for. It's not a casual day hike — even the day-hike section through Wire Pass into Buckskin is more committing than most regional trails. For the full experience, parties plan months ahead, win a permit, spend two or three days walking through one of the most distinctive geological features in North America. Pair with a Kanab base for resupply and a Lees Ferry shuttle for the exit.