Bow and Arrow Canyon is a beautiful red rock rappel outside Moab that has everything a great rappel should – great views, long raps, and easy accessibility. This wide-open canyon is rated as a 3A as it is not very tight or technical, great for a beginner canyoneer.
Getting There
Park at the trailhead for Long Bow Arch. You will hike to the arch on a winding sandy trail for about 1 mile. Once you reach the arch, you’ll continue on the trail past the arch to your first rappel. There are 3 rappels on this hike, first a short overhanging rappel, then a long free handing rappel, followed by the final rappel back down to Potash Road.
Rappel Sections
R1 – This rappel comes shortly after Long Bow Arch, a quarter mile or so. The anchor here is a tree.
R2 – The trail leading here has gorgeous views of the intricate fins of the canyon and a great photo op! Once at rappel 2, there are chains bolted into the rock. This is a partially free hanging rappel with great views of the Colorado River. It’s about 35 meters from the ground. We used a 80 meter dynamic rope.
R3 – The final rappel is about 20 meters and a fun hop back down to Potash Road. Once back on the ground, it’s about a mile walk west back to the car.
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