12 Nov Canyoneering in Lambs Knoll Outside of Zion

Have you ever wanted to go canyoneering or rock climbing in Zion National Park? Well, go ahead and start planning that adventure! However, tour companies are not allowed to operate within the park’s borders. You can, however, book a tour in Lambs Knoll within Kanab Canyon, which is directly next to Zion. Our guide was able to simply point and show us the border between the canyon and Zion. That being said, canyoneering in Lambs Knoll is as close as you can possibly get to canyoneering in Zion with a tour company!

Heading north to Salt Lake City anytime soon? Then you have to make time to visit the Bonneville Salt Flats as well as Antelope Island State Park.

Contents:

1) Location of Lambs Knoll

2) Other Tours Available

3) Canyoneering Tour Details

4) Restrictions

5) Gear Provided on the Tour

6) Recommended Items to Bring

1) Location of Lambs Knoll

• Location
• Virgin, Utah

Lambs Knoll in Kanab Canyon is located directly next to Zion National Park. As a matter of fact, you can even see the land within Zion while canyoneering there.

Parking

Do not worry about parking. For our tour, we met our guide at a small dirt lot off a road (which I cannot remember the name of now). They gave us the meeting spot the day before, and we met them there the next morning. After they arrived at the meeting spot, we followed them to the exact location where we would be hiking, which was pretty close to the Lambs Knoll address provided above. There was plenty of parking at our final destination. 

Lodging

There are a few lodging options within the small town of Virgin, Utah. Otherwise, there are plenty of options within the town of St. George, which is actually where we stayed during our visit. 

Starting to rappel over the edge

2) Other Tours Available

• Rock climbing tour
• Canyoneering + rock climbing combination tour

Rock Odysseys offers three main trips: (1) canyoneering (2) rock climbing (3) combination. No prior experience is necessary for any of these activities. Additionally, the tour guide can discuss options to ensure the adventure is appropriate to your skill level. I will touch on the rock climbing and combination tours in this section and then the canyoneering tour in the following section. 

If you want to pursue something other than canyoneering or rock climbing, consider hiking to Kanarra Falls.

Rock Climbing – Lambs Knoll

• Half day tour lasts 4 – 5 hours
• Half day tour starts at 7am – 8pm and 2pm
• Full day tour lasts 7 – 8 hours
• Full day tour starts at 7am – 8am

First, Rock Odysseys offers rock climbing tours. You can have no prior experience or go to a rock climbing gym every single week – all skill levels are welcome! The company offers sport climbing as well as trad and multi-pitch during their tours. First, sport climbing is the typical rock climbing most people picture. There are footholds and handholds placed throughout the rock to assist with climbing. Additionally, the climber is attached to a rope with a belayer below. Second, trad climbing poses even more mental and physical challenges. There are no holds in the rock, but rather the climber places anchors as they climb. Third, multi-pitch climbing is similar to sport climbing. It involves climbing a route that necessitates multiple belay stations. You climb up one portion, stop and wait for your guide to climb up, and then do it again. 

There are half day and full day tours with Rock Odysseys for rock climbing. You can find all the information you need regarding pricing on their site. Nevertheless, as you can imagine, a full day tour as well as a tour with only one or two people is more expensive compared to a half day tour or a large group. 

Combination – Lambs Knoll

• Half day tour lasts 4 – 5 hours
• Half day tour starts at 7am – 8pm and 2pm
• Full day tour lasts 7 – 8 hours
• Full day tour starts at 8am

Second, the combination tour involves both canyoneering and rock climbing in Kanab Canyon outside of Zion. Truly the best of both worlds! Similar to the other trips, there is both a half day and a full day option. The half day tour will cost less than the full day tour. Furthermore, a tour for three or more people will cost less than a tour for only one or two people. You can find all pricing information in the link included above. 

Rappelling down a narrow crevice in Lambs Knoll

3) Canyoneering Tour Details at Lambs Knoll

• Rappels over 100 feet high
• Half day and full day tours available  

We booked with the tour company, Rock Odysseys. Our tour guide was fantastic; we would rate them a solid 10 out of 10. In talking with them, many of the rock climbing / canyoneering companies in the area surrounding Zion share tour guides. While some guides have permanent positions with one company, it is fairly common for them to work with multiple. It all depends on their availability and the busyness of the season.

Check out this article for more adrenaline-producing activities: The 3 Most Difficult Hikes in Zion National Park.

Our Experience

We booked a half day canyoneering tour in Lambs Knoll, Kanab Canyon. We first rappelled down a short canyon wall for practice. The guide wanted to test our comfortability. Some people are less comfortable and thus the guide would lean towards smaller rappels for the remaining duration of the tour. We both felt fairly comfortable canyoneering, and thus our guide led us to their favorite as well as the longest rappels in the canyon. 

The longest rappels in Lambs Knoll are 100+ feet high. Some are straight down while others require you to maneuver around a little on the canyon wall. My favorite rappels, however, were the free falls. No, it is not the same as free falling in skydiving or bungee jumping. I still had the rope attached to me, and thus I slowly (or I could also make myself move a little faster if I wanted) lowered myself to the ground. This truly gave me a 360 degree view of Lambs Knoll, especially when I accidentally started spinning around.

The guide also goes over everything to know during the practice rappel. In terms of equipment, they carry everything necessary and set up the ropes. They will give instructions before beginning the rappel and also remind you during the rappel if needed. Feel free to ask the guide for further instructions at any point. All guides have been thoroughly trained and understand safety is the most important thing. 

Having some fun while canyoneering

Canyoneering Tour 

• Half day tour lasts 4 – 5 hours
• Half day tour starts at 7am – 8pm and 1pm – 2pm
• Full day tour lasts 7 – 8 hours
• Full day tour starts at 7am – 8am

First, a canyoneering trip is centered around rappelling down canyon walls. It does require some hiking, for you have to first ascend before you can descend. Additionally, it might require scrambling along the rocks, walking through water, or maneuvering through a narrow canyon.

Rock Odysseys offers two canyoneering trips in Kanab Canyon outside of Zion. One is a half day while the other is an all day trip. Information on pricing can be found in the link included above. We booked a half day tour when we visited, which was ample time to enjoy canyoneering in Lambs Knoll. Nevertheless, I think a full day tour would be well worth the time and money. 

Reaching the end of one of the rappels

4) Restrictions

• Accommodations for almost all ages
• Recommended weight limit of 300 pounds
• Fees for cancellations within one week of tour 

I will include some information below regarding age, weight, and booking cancellations. However, check out the FAQs on their site for any other questions.

Age Limits – Lambs Knoll

In terms of age, Rock Odysseys accommodates just about all ages. We asked our tour guide about their experiences, and they once did a tour with a 70 year old woman. I strive to be that woman one day. On their website, it says they have done a tour with a child as young as three years old. They have all of the properly sized equipment for children, so that is not an issue. However, consider the physical requirements inherent in canyoneering and rock climbing. It will take some physical energy to rappel down or climb up a canyon wall. Determine whether a half day tour vs. a full day tour would be best for your group.

Weight Limits

With regards to weight, Rock Odysseys offers harnesses up to 42 inches wide. The maximum recommended weight for the harnesses is 300 pounds to promote the highest standard of safety. 

Cancellation Fees – Lambs Knoll

For Rock Odysseys, guests will be charged 50% of the booking cost if they cancel within seven days of the tour. They will be charged 100% of booking costs if they cancel within 48 hours of the tour. However, exceptions can be made for emergencies. Contact the company regarding specific situations if an emergency does arise. Additionally, if there is inclement weather, the company can cancel the tour and provide a refund.

Free-fall rappelling in the canyon

5) Gear Provided on the Tour

The tour company, and Rock Odysseys specifically, will provide all technical equipment necessary for the rock climbing or canyoneering adventure in Kanab Canyon outside of Zion. This includes:

• Helmets and gloves
• Climbing shoes (if needed)
• Ropes and harnesses
• Equipment for belaying 
• Any other equipment for successful rock climbing or canyoneering

If you need a break from tours and hiking, Zion offers a variety of non-strenuous and family-friendly activities.

Making my way down through the canyon

6) Recommended Items to Bring – Lambs Knoll

1. Water bottle: Please please please be sure to bring enough water with you while canyoneering. Water is even more important if you are visiting in the summer, for the heat can make you become dehydrated real quick. I brought along my Yeti water bottle.

2. Sunscreen: While this might not be as important on a cloudy day, it will be on a day full of beautiful clear skies. You might be exposed to the full sun about half of the time of your tour. 

Apparel

3. Light jacket: The temperature difference between outside in the sun and down in the canyon can be extreme. When we were on our canyoneering tour, my body went from hot to cold to hot again throughout our tour.

4. Active apparel: It will be 10x easier to rock climb in leggings or active pants compared to jeans. If wearing shorts, be aware you might scrape a knee here or there while ascending/descending the canyon walls as well as while hiking in the canyon. 

5. Hiking shoes: A pair of hiking shoes will be incredibly helpful as you climb up the 1,500 feet (~457 meters) in elevation gain along this trail. Additionally, the traction provided by hiking shoes will be a blessing at the chain section. 

One of the longest rappels in the canyon

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Read info about Angel’s Landing if you are nervous for the hike: Should You Hike Angels Landing?

Check out a beautiful park when in Florida: Activities at Myakka River State Park.