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Mystery Canyon is a technical canyoneering adventure
that will require 6 to 7 hours from the East Mesa Trail or 8 to 9 hours from the Weeping
Rock Trailhead to complete. You need complete technical gear along with two 50-meter ropes (the entire
canyon can be completed with two 120-foot ropes), several slings and a drybag for anything
you don't want wet.
Leave your bolt kit at home. This canyon is extremely over bolted and there are plenty of natural anchors at every rappel. Bring 50 feet of extra webbing and a couple of rappel rings and you can eliminate the extra weight of a bolt kit. There are two pools that require swimming of less than 25 feet. You will also be wading for the last 1/2 mile of this adventure. If the weather is cold a wetsuit might be necessary but I doubt you will need it. I never use a wetsuit for this canyon because you are in the water for such a short amount of time. You will want some warm, dry clothes when you complete this canyon so throw a fleece into your drybag. I suggest a group size of six or less. Once you begin descending this canyon please stay in the watercourse and help eliminate the problem of social trails circumventing obstacles. There is no need to leave the watercourse once you begin descending this canyon. The erosion problem created by social trails is a concern to the National Park Service. The watercourse offers more fun and adventure and helps reduce the erosion problem. Please practice responsible canyoneering. Temple of Sinawava is the USGS 7.5 minute topographical map that shows Mystery Canyon. All waypoints and maps for this route use the WGS84 datum. Navigation for this adventure is easy to moderate. Mystery Canyon is rated 3B III using the Canyon Rating System. You will need a Zion backcountry permit to enter Mystery Canyon. Be certain you are entering Mystery Canyon when you leave the East Rim Trail. Mystery Canyon has a mild flashflood danger, but the Zion Narrows has a serious flash flood danger, check the weather report at the Visitor Center when you pick up your permit.
There are two alternative routes for reaching Mystery Canyon. The easiest option physically is the East Mesa Trailhead, which requires a car shuttle and is accessed from the Zion Ponderosa Ranch on the east rim. The simplest option logistically is the Weeping Rock Trailhead, which requires a hike with 2400' of elevation gain, includes a visit to Observation Point and is completed as a loop hike. Pick your poison. East Mesa Trail: From the East Entrance of Zion National Park, drive east 2.4 miles on highway 9. Turn left at the signed "North Fork" junction. Drive 5.2 miles to signed "Zion Ponderosa Resort". Turn left and enter the Zion Ponderosa (N37° 16' 22", W112° 52' 24"). From here, you will be driving on dirt roads. The Zion Ponderosa is private property, please respect this trailhead access. You will be crossing cabin sites with many spur roads, stay on the main road until told to turn off. You will be heading toward the Observation Point Trailhead. After entering the Zion Ponderosa, stay on the main road (do not turn left to the resort) and drive 0.7 miles to signed Cable Mountain, Observation Point road fork (N37° 16' 33", W112° 53' 02"). Take the right fork and drive 0.7 miles to a tee in the road (N37° 16' 47", W112° 53' 45"). Turn right, and drive 1.1 miles until road forks around a large ponderosa pine (N37° 17' 43", W112° 53' 49"). Take the right fork and drive 0.2 miles to a spur road on the left (N37° 17' 51", W112° 54' 00"). Take the spur road to the left and drive 0.1 miles. The road ends at a fence, which is the Zion Park boundary. There are no signs at the trailhead (N37° 17' 47", W112° 54' 04"). Cross the fence at the access point 40 feet south and begin walking west on the well-traveled trail. After 20 minutes, you will notice a canyon to the north. This is the South Fork of Orderville Canyon, DO NOT drop in here. This canyon and Mystery Canyon look very similar from the top. Continue walking for an additional 20 minutes and you will again notice a canyon to the north with a spur trail leading to the edge. This is Mystery Canyon. Weeping Rock Trail: Take the Zion Canyon Shuttle to Weeping Rock (N37° 16' 16", W112° 56' 18"). Climb the Observation Point trail and take in the view from Observation Point (N37° 16' 41", W112° 56' 25"), it is worth the slight detour. Return to the Observation Point / East Mesa trails junction. From the junction walk east for 20 minutes. You will notice a canyon to the north with a spur trail leading to the edge. This is Mystery Canyon.
Make certain you are at the head of Mystery Canyon. More than one rescue has resulted from canyoneers dropping into the wrong drainage and becoming trapped. From the top of Mystery Canyon (N37° 17' 19", W112° 55' 47") there is a well defined trail that drops steeply down to the floor of the canyon. After reaching the canyon bottom head down stream. It is almost impossible to get lost from this point on. Many of the small obstacles, which you first encounter, were traditionally bypassed by a trail on the right. However, it has recently become more popular to stay in the watercourse and downclimb or rappel all obstacles. As you near the dogleg the canyon really narrows up and forms a great, deep, narrow slot and everyone is forced into the watercourse. At this point you will encounter a 50-foot rappel from a two bolt anchor. Keep your rope out because immediately you are faced with a 40-foot rappel from a two bolt anchor. Again, keep the rope out because you will immediately encounter a second 40-foot rappel from a two bolt anchor. As this point you should be just above the dogleg. The dogleg is simple to downclimb or you can rappel through it from one of half a dozen, overly excessive, bolted anchors. Just below the dogleg you will encounter a 50-foot rappel followed by a 20-foot rappel, both from bolted anchors. From the bottom of the 20-foot rappel you can put away your rope as you stroll down to the Devils Hole. The Devils Hole was formed by a massive rockslide that you must climb over. Occasionally the Devils Hole is filled with muddy water, which you must wade or swim. After the Devils Hole you will encounter a 50-foot sloping rappel with a two bolt anchor. There is usually water at the bottom of this rappel but it can be avoided with a little effort. The next obstacle and signature feature of Mystery Canyon is the 115' rappel into Mystery Springs. The Rappel anchors are located on a narrow ledge to the south, use caution reaching these anchors since they are very exposed. Rappel past the massive chokestone into the deep plunge pool filled with clear, cold water. This rappel requires a floating disconnect and a 15-foot swim. In an emergency it might be helpful to know that you can walk under the massive chokestone and that there is a bolted anchor under the chokestone. This option is usually used when someone drops gear into the pothole and spring behind the chokestone. Next on the route is a 10' drop into a deep, cold, clear pool of water. If you are unsure of the depth or obstacles in the pool you can downclimb to the right and swim. It is usually safe to jump in, but check it out first. Mystery Canyon ends with a spectacular 115' rappel into the Zion Narrows. You will be rappelling down a waterfall, which is very slippery with moss. If you are lucky, there will be a large crowd of tourists gathered to admire your canyoneering skills and videotape you for future generations. All that remains is to hike down the Narrows to the Temple of Sinawava (N37° 17' 07", W112° 56' 52") and catch the shuttle out of Zion Canyon. If you began this adventure at the East Mesa Trailhead now would be a good time to figure out how you are going to retrieve your wheels.
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