Round Valley Draw is a great slot canyon hike located near Kodachrome Basin State Park, just a little past Grosvenor Arch. To reach it you will travel south down Cottonwood Road, and take a right onto Road 422. From the turn-off it is approximately 1.5 miles to the trailhead. There is one dry stream bed crossing near the beginning of the road that is a bit rough, and on my first visit in November of 2008 I parked in front of it and hiked the extra mile or so to the trailhead to be safe. However, on my second trip in November of 2017, it didn't look as rough, and I was able to drive over it and make it nearly all the way to the trailhead.
Make sure you bring some good directions. The first time I hiked this, I had no trouble at all finding the right routes to the narrows, and back to the start. However, on my second trip, perhaps feeling over-confident because I had hiked it before, I got off-track and ended up hiking a couple extra miles. When you come to the parking area, leave the road and turn right to follow the wash to the narrows. The directions I had brought weren't very clear, and I ended up walking further up the road. I had mistakenly assumed I was only at the low-clearance parking area on my map, and didn't realize my Corolla had actually made it all the way to the high-clearance parking area. I also didn't remember a road extending past the parking area when I visited in 2008.
From the parking area you will follow the wash for about a half mile before a slot canyon begins to open up beneath you. You will need to be careful entering the canyon, as it is a bit of a drop. No equipment is necessary, but you will want to press your body against the sides of the canyon to ease your way slowly to the bottom. Round Valley Draw is a really fun, deep slot canyon which stays fairly narrow for about two miles before opening up. Just after it widens up, you will see an escape route to your right marked with cairns. If you're hiking in a group, you would likely be able to reverse up canyon and work together to climb out the entrance. You could also just leave a rope at the entrance of the canyon to help you get out. However, as I was hiking alone without a rope, I decided to play it safe and take the exit out of the canyon.
Make sure you bring good directions for the return route back to the parking area. My first time hiking here in 2008, I remember not having too much trouble finding my way back to the car, though I remember rushing towards the end as it was beginning to get dark. In 2017, I got off track and added a mile or so to my hike. There are no major landmarks in the area, and many different washes, so it can be easy to get off course. I guess the key is to try to stay near to Round Valley Draw, and keep it in your sights as much as possible. When I first visited Round Valley Draw in November of 2008, I had the entire place to myself. When I visited again in November of 2017, I only saw two other groups of hikers. While growing in popularity, as long as you go during the off-season, this hike shouldn't be too crowded.
