Mail Slot – Moab Canyoneering (NEW!)
fromOne of Moab’s best slots, great views, and solidarity!
The Mail Slot is Desert Highlights’ most recently discovered canyon. This canyon is a unique mix of big dramatic rappels, and hosts Moab’s narrowest water carved slot! If you’re looking to get away from the crowds and want a full day experience with little bit of everything – this is the canyon for you. Mail Slot is appropriate for adventuresome individuals, or folks that have some experience!
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Vacation Style Holiday Type
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Activity Level Difficult
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- Duration: 7-9 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Minimum Age: We suggest a minimum age of 12 for Mail Slot trips. Exceptions are sometimes made, so please give us a call or shoot us an email to discuss your options.
- Total Hiking Distance: 4 miles
- Rappels: 4 (140ft/42m, 165ft/50m, 80ft/24m, 80ft/24)
- Distance from Moab: 40 minutes one-way
- Spring/Fall (we may make exceptions for Summer)
- All tours are private – just your group and your guide!
- 2025 Prices:
- 1 Person – $550
- Group of 2 – $275/person
- Group of 3 – $250/person
- Group of 4 or more – $230/person
- Please call for availability if your group has 14 or more people in it
This quiet canyon offers a remote feeling while still being relatively close to downtown Moab. Begin with a short walk to a dramatic cliffside where we’ll gear up with harnesses, and helmets, and begin our descent into the Mail Slot. Take a few moments to soak up the natural beauty as the landscape is unique at each rappel. There’s no shortage of excitement as you begin your descent of the first rappel – 140 feet! A low angle slab that gently eases into a really fun free hanging rappel! (feet off the wall.)
Soak up the sun on the Navajo sandstone ledges as you prepare for the second, and largest rappel right after the first- another 165 ft lower! From here, we’ll descend even further- navigating small boulders, and doing a few short and fun downclimbs.
Arrive at the section of the canyon where the walls quickly narrow and tower above you, a vast change in scenery from the first two rappels! Experience a true slot as you scoot, downclimb, and rope up for the last two rappels.
Take a break to enjoy the silence at the bottom of the canyon, have a snack or lunch then prepare for the ascent out of the canyon together!
- All canyoneering gear and safety equipment
- Instruction from experienced and fun guides
- Transportation to and from the canyon
- Private tour – just your group plus your guide(s)!
- Lunch and snacks – please bring enough food to be out and active for 7-9 hours.
- Water – we recommend at least 2 liters of water per person (at least 3 liters in the hotter months!)
- Price does not include tax or guide gratuity
We rate our canyoneering trips based on physical difficulty. The Mail Slot is a loop hike and requires some uphill hiking, and the two rappels in the slot are a step up in difficulty from the first two of the day. There are places where we’ll use our hands and feet for progress and your guide will coach you through a few obstacles. This canyon also offers the opportunity to use different techniques such as downclimbing, using a handline and “chimneying” (your feet on one wall, your back on the other). The hiking here is doable for anyone that is reasonably fit, but it is more adventurous than your run of the mill hiking trail.
Absolutely! Our private tours allow us to spend plenty of time at the top of each rappel going over rappel technique, answering questions, etc. On every rappel, you will be backed up with a second rope that the guide can use to slow you down or take over control if necessary. You’ll “learn the ropes” and be able to control your own speed, but you’ll never be 100% on your own.
For this canyon, whatever you would wear on a regular hike will be just fine. Closed-toe shoes that can get wet are a must. (although its very unlikely you’ll get wet) We always suggest bringing plenty of layers in the cooler months, and even warmer months as temperatures vary throughout the day. You can check the weather here before you arrive.
