Trail Overview
The Not a Slot Canyon is a short, lesser-traveled desert trail ideal for four-wheel-drive vehicles and SxSs looking for a quiet, scenic exploration through a narrow Arizona wash. Spanning just over two miles, this route climbs gently from 1,314 feet to 1,474 feet as it winds deep into the desert landscape. Drivers will navigate a primary surface of loose sand, dirt, and rigid earthen material where the track occasionally fades and becomes difficult to track. The trail features a series of tight turns, deep washouts, and short hill climbs, presenting a moderate challenge rated at a technical difficulty of 4. As the trail progresses, the canyon walls close in, creating a scenic but increasingly narrow passage.
Due to the tightening canyon walls and thick desert brush, pinstriping and minor paint damage are highly likely, making high-clearance vehicles and smaller SxSs the preferred choice. The route eventually becomes too narrow for vehicles to proceed, requiring drivers to find a suitable turnaround spot before it gets too tight to maneuver. From the end of the vehicle-accessible track, explorers can continue on foot to discover the dramatic walls of the narrow wash, which resembles a slot canyon but never quite pinches off entirely. Cell service is limited to about two bars of LTE along the route, so downloading offline maps is essential before heading out into this remote wash.
