The Armchair Traveler Ritual
Before we step into the darkness of the cave, set the scene: Turn on a small fan to mimic the canyon wind whipping past the trees, open a bottle of sagebrush or pine essential oil, and take a huge, refreshing gulp of clean mountain air. Let's go exploring!
🎵 Shauna's Soundtrack
To fully immerse yourself in the mystery of the canyon and the caves, I highly recommend playing "The Vision" by Scott Buckley in the background while you read and explore the 360° tours below!
⚡ The Quick Scoop
The Vibe: Conquering fears! Escaping the hot Utah sun into the cool, dark mysteries of a true mountain cave.
Must See: The awe-inspiring rock climbers scaling the sheer, vertical canyon walls right above your head as you hike!
Accessibility: ♿ Not wheelchair friendly. The dirt trail is steep, constantly climbs, and is full of loose rocks. You must also cross a stream and climb a steep dirt embankment to reach the cave entrance.
Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (5 out of 5 Diamonds!)
At first glance, Rock Canyon in Provo might not seem like the most inviting place. Its cliffs are jagged, gray, and imposing, and it entirely lacks the lush, roaring rivers of other neighboring canyons like American Fork or Big Cottonwood.
"Rock Canyon reminds me of certain people in life—those who might not give the greatest first impression, but become a huge blessing if you just give them a chance."
I wrote that quote thinking a little bit about myself. I know I can come across as overzealous or quirky at times, but I hope people find that I have something cool to share if they just give me a chance! It’s also true for so many fascinating people I've met; at first glance, you might be unsure, but once you step inside their world, they are incredible.
This canyon is a true treasure for those who choose to explore it. My desire to finally hike it actually started after I saw a man who looked like a rugged lumberjack walking across the river near the mouth of the canyon. My curiosity kicked in, so I struck up a conversation. He told me he had just come out of a cave! Of course, my gears just kept spinning. Looking at the footage later and seeing the tiny black speck of the cave high up in the background, I decided that one day, when I was feeling brave, I wanted to conquer this trail.
👇 Choose Your Path
The 5 Bridges & The Climbers
The hike up Rock Canyon is a steady, heart-pumping climb. The wind was blowing at a good clip on the day I went, causing the trees to wave wildly. The sound of the wind rushing through the leaves, combined with the smell of sagebrush and mountain dust swirling in the air, was incredibly refreshing. I found myself sucking in huge gulps of the less polluted, crisp alpine air.
As you make your way up the wide, rocky path, you will cross over 5 different wooden footbridges. At the very beginning of the trail, the water is all piped underground to supply the city, so it feels very dry. But keep pushing! When you get up higher, the pipe ends, and you finally get to enjoy the sound of a cute, refreshing stream running alongside your hike.
🧗♀️ The Vertical World
The steep canyon walls feel almost intimidating with their sharp corners. But the most important thing to remember on this hike is to constantly look up! You will almost always spot incredibly brave rock climbers working their way up the sheer cliffs.
Before I really started the hike, I stopped to visit with some rope climbers training near the entrance. I learned that Rock Canyon is a world-class training ground! We talked about their routes, and they explained how they search out safe paths and rely on their belayers. It fascinates me that there is an entire vertical world of "rope trails" just waiting to be explored right above our heads.
Left: The 3rd bridge (your landmark!). Right: The refreshing stream higher up the canyon.
The Village & The Tragedy
The hiking trail to the summit of Squaw Peak also begins right here in Rock Canyon. It's important to know that it is a much harder, and much more dangerous trail than the main canyon path.
⚠️ A Sobering Moment
As I was hiking, the peaceful sound of the wind was suddenly broken by the loud chopping of helicopter blades. There were rescue helicopters all over the sky. I wondered what was going on, or if it was an omen I should be weary of. It soon became incredibly obvious that someone was in serious danger.
A profound thing happened on the trail that day. Every hiker I passed stopped to converse. We shared what we knew, asked questions, and checked on each other. It made me think about the times before smartphones, when people roamed between villages and were eager to see a traveler's face, for it meant information about the outside world. There is a deep, human connection to each other that we have lost in all this tech.
We found out later that a 42-year-old man, Michael Sean O'Donnal, had tragically fallen while trying to hike Squaw Peak and passed away. It was a deeply somber moment. It made me weary of hiking that specific trail. Was it really that dangerous, or was he just pushing past his abilities? Was he going for that "perfect shot" and made a silly mistake? You always wonder about those things. Life is incredibly fragile. Please go prepared, know your limits, and be incredibly careful near the edges.
Finding the Golden Nugget
So, onward I went. I had taken good notes on how to find this cave, but I wondered, "Can I actually find it myself?" Many people hike Rock Canyon and never find the actual entrance! There are two other spots people constantly mistake for it—a shallow overhang, and a dangerous, steep drop-off.
🌟 The Real Cave Location
I was so incredibly excited when I finally found it! The Real Cave is located about 2 miles up the trail. You want to start watching the cliffside on your left after you cross the 3rd bridge, but before you hit the 4th bridge. You will see a small, steep trail branching off across the stream leading up to the entrance.
The main cave is absolutely the star of the show. It's the perfect beginner's cave! It's not a terrifying, claustrophobic belly-crawl right at the entrance; you can comfortably walk through the first section just scrunched down a bit.
Gremlins & The Creamery Reward
I will admit, stepping into the cave was actually a little stressful! I was hiking completely solo that day. My thought process was that since I was using a 360 camera, I needed bright light shining both ahead of me AND behind me. So, I bought two super-bright headlamps, strapped one facing forward on my head, and strapped the other one pointing backwards!
🔦 Fighting Gremlins
Armed with my dual headlamps and a sturdy hiking stick to fight off any imaginary cave gremlins, in I went! I was a little surprised that it went in a decent length, but not so far that it panicked me.
About 10 meters in, there is a drop-off, and the tunnel splits and gets very narrow. I sat there trying to decide: Do I go further? Either way would require me to get down on my knees, and possibly my belly, to crawl in. I decided not to. I remembered the lumberjack saying he went all the way through, which was cool, but not for me today without a buddy!
🍦 The Ultimate Reality Check
Still, I had a HUGE smile on my face when I walked back out into the sun. I had set a goal to conquer this cave. Yes, it intimidated me, but I safely conquered it, and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. It was actually quite fun!
So, riding the high of that good mood, I marched straight down the mountain, got in my car, and drove directly to the BYU Creamery to reward myself! After fighting off cave gremlins, I absolutely earned a massive cone: one scoop of "Earnestly Chocolate" (chocolate with caramel swirl, marshmallow swirl, and chocolate-covered caramel cups) and one scoop of "Mint Brownie" (green mint ice cream, chocolate swirl, and brownie bites). YUM! The absolute greatest reward for a crazy but cool day!
Step Inside the Cave (360° VR)
These immersive 360° videos take you right inside the cool, dark passages of Rock Canyon Cave! But first, join me for a walk down the canyon trail to experience the scale of its massive, jagged cliffs. Click and drag the video to look around!
Trailhead Map & Interactive Walk
🗺️ Pro Tip for Homebound Explorers!
To get the ultimate interactive experience: Click "View on larger map" on the map below. Then, grab the little yellow dude (Pegman) in the bottom right corner and drag him onto any of the blue dots or blue lines on the map. This drops you right into the 360° view so you can look around freely, even if Google's navigation arrows are acting glitchy!
✨ Ask the Caving Guide
Curious about what kind of rocks make up Rock Canyon, where to get BYU ice cream, or the history of Squaw Peak? Ask our AI Trail Guide!
Beyond First Impressions
Rock Canyon is a testament to the idea that treasures are often found exactly where you least expect them. It taught me to look past first impressions, connect with the village of hikers around me, and face my fears in the dark. I hope this journey inspires you to brave your own caves, pack an extra headlamp, and always reward your hard work with a massive scoop of ice cream!
🍦 Easter Egg Hunt: Did you spot the hidden Ice Cream emoji in today's story? Tell me where you found it in the comments!
Happy Exploring,
Shauna @ VRGetaway
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