AUGUST 2013
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| FRY CANYON BEGINNING TO SLOT UP |
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| RAP INTO THE NARROWS |
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| RAP INTO THE NARROWS FROM ABOVE |
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| COOL WATERY NARROWS |
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| DEEP SWIMMING SECTION |
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| SWIMMING PORTION OF THE NARROWS |
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| TOWARDS THE END OF THE NARROWS |
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| RUINS AT THE END OF THE NARROWS |
Fry Canyon is an isolated slot canyon located within a desolate region of Bears Ears. Fry Canyon actually shows up on highway maps as a town, but it is really made up of just one vacant lodge that closed in 2007. The beginning of Fry Canyon is just a little east of the abandoned lodge where the 95 crosses a small bridge. There is a small parking area on the south side of the road just east of the bridge.
Fry Canyon is pretty deep where it passes under the bridge, so you will need to hike up-canyon a bit until it becomes shallow enough to climb into. There are some deep, stagnant pools at the beginning of the canyon that can require swimming, depending on the time of the year. As there were some pretty large, creepy things swimming around in the pools, I decided to throw my wetsuit on for courage.
After the pools, the canyon becomes wide, flat and sandy until you reach the rappel. Keep your eyes open for petrified wood along this section to help pass the time. Just before the rappel, Fry Canyon will slot-up suddenly at a dry fall. There was a nice bolt and webbing here to rappel off of while I was here. The rappel will drop you into a shallow pool of water. Just after the rappel the water will become too deep to wade through and you will need to swim about 300' feet to get back onto solid ground. Playing it safe, I wore a life vest and put some plastic balls in my pack so I could just float through this section and enjoy the cool, creepy feeling of the cave-like canyon.
Just after exiting the water, look up to your right to see some Anasazi ruins. To return to the trailhead, I hiked up the canyon to the right until I found a route back to the top of the canyon. Once out of the canyon, find your way back to Fry Canyon and follow it back to your car. I hiked this in August, and didn't see another soul. If you don't mind the heat, summer can be a great time to get some solitude in Bears Ears.
