Yes I'm close to Nevada but I don't mean "One-armed Bandits". I decided that today I would explore a slot canyon for the first time and it was kind of cool. Willis Creek has its headwaters in Bryce Canyon and flows into Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The waters have carved out a series of slot canyons before the creek joins with Sheep Creek (which flows into the Paria River which eventually flows into the Colorado). This image is from the first of three of the creek's slot canyons we explored (I chose to keep my feet dry, Roxie's preferred route was in the water, naturally). Some areas were as little as 4 to 5 feet wide while the sculpted sandstone walls rose about 50-60 feet high.

The entrance to the canyon is via a well worn trail that passes by some interesting sandstone that has been shaped by the creek. Maybe it was because I was kind of excited about what lay ahead that I didn't notice it until we were making our way out but I heard a sound of rushing water just before making the climb out of the canyon that I just had to investigate. To my right was the same sandstone I'd noticed next to the trail as we entered and a small "slot canyon", 8 or 10 feet high and just a few feet wide. About 20 feet from where I stepped into this slot was a point where the creek curved 90 degrees. Just beyond that point was a waterfall (maybe 4 or 5 feet high) in a chamber neatly sculpted by eons of water flowing over the sandstone.

Tomorrow there will be more adventures discovering the geology of this incredible place . . .