Sidewinder Slot Canyon 9,7/10 4271 votes

Sidewinder Canyon For even more twists and turns inside a slot canyon, Sidewinder provides some of the best claustrophobic hiking in Death Valley. You can find more detailed route information here. This hike is considered strenuous, so use caution in the passageways. It starts with a horizon-sweeping view at Sunset Point, then makes its way past the Silent City — a rock metropolis of hoodoos and spires — to Wall Street, where the trail heads into a narrow slot canyon surrounded by sweeping sandstone walls.

Rate this Adventure 2.5 miles 600 ft gain - Out-and-Back Trail

Added by Jim Bellings

You'll find 5 incredible waterfalls after a short, but steep bushwhack into Bear Creek Canyon.

Sidewinder Slot Canyon

Find County Road 1802 in Hagarville, Arkansas off of Arkansas Hwy 123. Travel about 2.2 miles down the road and park. Coordinates 35.68642, -93.17392

You'll start hiking west and should find yourself on the right hand side of wet weather ravine. Look closely as you follow this ravine, you'll see pink markers hanging from tree branches as you descend deeper toward Bear Creek Canyon.

You'll come across 2 of the 5 waterfalls pictured at Coordinates 35.68930, -93.18470. The waterfalls are named Sidewinder and Swamp Falls. If the water level is low you can climb down below Swamp Falls for some fantastic pics.

Journey upstream a short distance and you'll approach Baby Bear Falls. Take in the sight and shoot some pics before turning around and heading back downstream.

You'll want to go past Sidewinder and Swamp Falls continuing downstream to V Slot Falls. I recommend a rope if you want to climb into the slot cut into the rock over centuries of erosion. Truly a magnificent sight. On this day the creek was flowing descent, but not enough water to form a 'V' around the boulder pictured.

A little further downstream and you'll reach the last waterfall. This one is Slot Pool Falls. I ate lunch here. It'd be the perfect place for a summer swim if you were up to bushwhacking through thorns, poison ivy and all the undergrowth associated with warm weather in the Ozarks.

Forest

Sidewinder Slot Canyons

Waterfall
Swimming Hole

We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. Go PRO to support our mission and get benefits like gear deals, no ads, and more!

Sidewinder slot canyonJoin the community

Reviews

Have you done this adventure?Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Sidewinder Slot Canyon

We want to acknowledge and thank the past, present, and future generations of all Native Nations and Indigenous Peoples whose ancestral lands we travel, explore, and play on.

eemitmoro1982.netlify.com – 2021