Ding and Dang Canyons

Great scrambling and bouldering. It's just technical enough to get some scrapes and bumps along the way, but quite feasible for even novice canyoneers. I like to go to up Ding (right at the fork in the trail) and down Dang. Depending on how the storms clear the wash a short handline or webbing can be helpful for those wanting a little extra confidence and seeking to avoid some larger jumps on a couple down climbs.

We had a blast! We have a 6 year old and took him but he is extremely brave, capable and can hike far. Bring snacks, water jacket, ROPE. We were lucking to stubble across a group of 3 with a 70 pound dog that was unable to make it down the ledges and drops. This is not really a trail for pups! We had to rappel this pup from ledge to ledge and he was hurt. Be prepared for varying water levels. Try to do this hike earlier in the in case something like this happens so you don't loose sun. Take a trail map. Tell someone you are going and when you expect to be back. Hike in and out 1-2 miles I think but flat like a gravel road. We went in right (ding) and came out left (dang) you'll know if you get confused as to which is which. Dang is tight and deep and difficult at times. You won't find a way around the water in dang you're going in and it's chest high. Ding for the most part if you stop and look around you can scramble up rocks to get around the beautiful pools!
See you between a rock and a hard spot!!

Mid march was an incredible time to go. Much of the hike is in the sun, so it was nice to have cooler weather. Starting from Ding (on the left) and then hiking through Dang (on the right) meant that there was a lot of scrambling down. Some people might find a rope helpful in Dang, although it is definitely not necessary. There was a small (~20 feet) segment of nasty water that you either must hike or shimmy through. Definitely made for a fun half day.

I tend to go up Ding and down Dang. The canyons are beautiful and provide some great color contrasts between different kinds of rock. Both canyons have some difficult obstacles, especially Dang. NOT recommended for kids or pets. At one point, we had to stem across multiple large puddles while dropping down about twenty feet. Either come ready to walk through dirty water, or prepare your arms for a work out. Regardless, these canyons can be a lot of fun.

Fun canyon with average scenery. Hiking and scrambling with some exposed climbing. Hand-line or short rope recommended.

This was a fun hike but there are some technical and questionable obstacles. Not for someone who has a fear of heights. It's pretty exposednot as shaded as we thought as Little Wild Horse Bell Canyon Loop is. We took quite a few breaks when we came across shade. It took us closer to 5 hours to complete.

These canyons make a good loop hike. I went up Ding and down Dang a week after a rainstorm, so there was a lot of water. There were places where I was up to my chest. This is not a hike for novices or young children. Take the trail up the wash, and when it forks, the right trail is to Ding and the left is to Dang. After exiting Ding, head West, past Ding Dang Dome, until you get to the North end of Dang. There is a spot in Dang where most people rappel using an anchor in the rock. If you don't have a rope, you can get around this spot on a high ledge on the West side. Descending Dang has a couple spots where bridging and chimneying skills will be very useful. They were too high for me to be comfortable jumping. Bridging will get you past the part with chest-deep water. As with all slot canyons, don't attempt if there is any chance of rain anywhere near the canyons.