Boynton Canyon Trail Preview

Should you hike Boynton Canyon? What the film settles

Two destinations on one trail, and neither is where you expect it.

The vortex is at the start, not the end. The signed junction for Boynton Vista comes at 7:15, and the short, rocky climb to the saddle below Kachina Woman runs from 10:00. Plenty of visitors stop there and go back. The guide explains why the vortex is at the start, not the end.

The canyon is long and quiet. Back on the main trail the route runs under the red walls past the resort from 20:45, into the first shaded forest at 27:30, then along the canyon floor with little climbing. Wash crossings and boulders roughen the footing from 47:45. The effort here is length and sand, not grade; see the canyon walk.

The climbing is all at the end. The grade starts in the last mile, at 1:08:00, and the steepest, rockiest steps come from 1:14:45. The film reaches the box canyon at 1:21:00, where the trail ends at a wall with no view out. If you want a view at the end, this is not that hike.

Stay on the trail. The canyon holds Sinagua archaeological sites and cryptobiotic soil, so leave everything as you find it. More in a canyon with a cultural layer.

Choose something else if you want a summit view, or if a busy saddle mid-morning would spoil it for you. If you want something else

What the full film shows, chapter by chapter

Timestamps read from the full 1:21:23 film. Owners can jump straight to any chapter.

1. 0:00 Boynton Canyon trailhead The kiosk; about 4,540 ft.
2. 7:15 The lower trail and the Vista junction Easy walking to the signed split for Boynton Vista (0.3 mi).
3. 10:00 The Boynton Vista spur The short, rocky climb to the saddle below Kachina Woman (0.4–0.6 mi, about 4,550–4,580 ft) — the vortex visit, near the start, not the end.
4. 20:45 Back on the main trail along the cliffs The trail runs under the red walls past the resort (0.8 mi, about 4,640 ft).
5. 27:30 Into the canyon The first shaded forest as the canyon narrows (1.1 mi).
6. 41:00 The canyon floor Soft trail, little gain (1.7 mi, about 4,675 ft).
7. 47:45 Wash crossings and boulders Rockier footing on the canyon floor (2.0 mi).
8. 54:30 Deeper forest Pines and maples; the walls are close on both sides (2.4 mi, about 4,780 ft).
9. 1:08:00 The last mile: the grade starts The trail begins to climb toward the head of the canyon (3.0 mi, about 4,950 ft).
10. 1:14:45 The final climb Steeper, rockier steps up to the amphitheater (3.2 mi, about 5,050 ft).
11. 1:21:00 The box canyon end 3.4 mi and 5,207 ft on the overlay: the trail ends at the wall. The film ends here; the return is not shown.

Not in the film: the walk back out of the canyon.

Planning the real hike? Read the full Boynton Canyon trail guide for difficulty, parking, permits and route-finding details.