Clear Creek Wash

Clear Creek Wash is an informal 3.8-mile out-and-back from the Route 9 access just west of a small drainage tunnel, about 1.3 miles east of the Zion–Mount Carmel Tunnel. Follow the wash west to the bridge at the large tunnel, then return the same way; the map shows the wash corridor once, while the mileage counts both directions. Allow about three hours. This is a good choice if you want to walk into sandstone slots without taking on a technical canyon descent.

A path of use drops through a side drainage into the creek bed. The first stretch is mostly open, alternating between sand and rocks and boulders. About half a mile in, the canyon tightens into a short slot. Around a mile from the start, look for a low, unofficial arch known as Hobbit Hole; its opening is small enough that you may need to crouch or crawl through.

Past the arch, a drainage tunnel marks the confluence with Upper Pine Creek; below it, the wash is named Pine Creek. Two more slot sections deepen on the way to the road bridge at the mouth of the large tunnel. Turn around at the bridge. The canyon downstream is a separate technical canyoneering route with permit and equipment requirements. Canyon Overlook is nearby, but it is a separate hike and is not included in this distance.

This is an unsigned, unmaintained walk in an intermittent wash, not a developed trail. Sand, loose rocks and boulders make footing uneven, and pools or logjams can block the narrow slots after storms. The wash is usually dry, but runoff can bring water; flash flooding is the serious hazard. Check park conditions and stay out when slot canyons are closed for flood risk. Carry your own water; none was found on the route. The described start is a roadside pullout, not a signed trailhead: use it only if it is a designated pullout where your whole vehicle fits, and never park on the shoulder. Pets are not allowed on this off-road walk.