Estimated read time: 7-8 minutes KEY TAKEAWAYS

Southern Utah's slot canyons offer awe-inspiring hikes with unique challenges and risks.

Hiking requires preparation; flash floods are a serious threat, even with clear skies.

Guided tours provide safety and insight, while respecting nature's power is essential.

KANAB — At first glance, the desert landscape of southern Utah seems like a sweeping, sun-baked canvas — wide open and endless. But tucked deep within its sandstone folds are narrow slivers of magic: slot canyons, sculpted over millennia by wind and rushing water.

They draw hikers from around the world, eager to wander their labyrinthine paths and stand in awe beneath towering walls sometimes just feet apart. But as alluring as they are, these canyons demand more than admiration.

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