Cathedral Wash Trailhead

Cathedral Wash is a short, scrappy scramble down a slot-walled drainage that dead-ends at the Colorado River near Lees Ferry — and it consistently pulls one of the highest ratings of any hike in the Marble Canyon area. The trailhead sits off Lees Ferry Road, and from there you're dropping through a narrowing wash with layered canyon walls closing in around you, working your way past a series of small dryfalls and ledges to the river.

What to expect

• About a mile each way to the Colorado River, though most of the challenge is in the terrain, not the distance
• Real scrambling and some downclimbing over rock, with a few notable drops — hikers comfortable with basic climbing moves get the most out of it
• No painted markers or defined tread in spots; route-finding along rock cairns is part of the experience
• Ends at the river, where a swim is a common reward on a hot day

This isn't a stroller-friendly nature walk — it's a hands-on canyon hike through exposed high-desert geology, and reviewers regularly call it a trip highlight precisely because of that. Because it doesn't follow an obvious path, give yourself more time than the short mileage suggests, and turn around before dark since the drops that are manageable heading down get trickier climbing back up.