This narrow slot canyon is 180 feet deep, with a rushing river at the bottom!

Statistics

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hrs

8

m

8

m

3

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Easy

Description

At just 0.3 miles, many hikers might skip over this short paved loop to Box Canyon.

That would be a mistake, though, because this quick roadside stop in Mount Rainier National Park is absolutely jaw-dropping! "Box Canyon is a narrow slot canyon carved by the Muddy Fork of the Cowlitz River," writes the [NPS](https://www.nps.gov/places/box-canyon.htm).

From the wooden footbridge, you can look straight down 180 feet into the canyon below.

The rushing water foams through the canyon below you, slowly carving deeper and deeper into the granite bedrock.

Even along this short stretch of trail, you'll enjoy a unique environment as you walk over an exposed slab of granite bedrock.

Mount Rainier National Park is truly a diverse area, and Box Canyon puts that diversity in stark relief.