The Tranquille Slot Canyons are an extended gorge in the Tranquille River Canyon.    They are accessed by parking at a pullout area off the Tranquille Criss Creek Road, then hiking down a steep trail to the river’s edge.    There are two slot canyons not far apart.     The North Slot has a deeper pool to wade and swim through, but we can go all the way through to the north end, then back.   When we go down to the slot canyons, we bring our gear and leave it by the shoreline, before entering the river.

The steep trail down is a single track, winding around a cliff, past some car wrecks, along a ridge, then down through a gully to the bottom.

To go through the North Slot, we need to wear some shoes with a grippy sole.    The rocks are slippery and there are some small cascades to wade through.    We prefer to step into the spaces between the larger rocks, easing the foot into the space until it feels stable.     Long hiking poles help with stability.     The first part is just wading on gravel, but then the deeper pool requires bobbing and swimming for a short distance.   I use a dry bag for my camera.   We went all the way through, took a break and some photos, then waded back.

The South Slot is a couple of hundred meters downstream.    A rough trail follows the shoreline.    Although it is possible to traverse the length of this slot canyon, the second half has cascades, a small waterfall, and a deep pool.    We usually work our way down to a rockfall area above the falls, then turn back.   There are no easy sections, but slowly and carefully we can go down and back.

The best parts of the slot canyon exploration is halfway through each canyon gorge where the walls have been shaped by river flows and grinding rocks each year during freshet.

After going through the canyons, we gathered our gear and hiked back up the steep trail, completing a short, but challenging hike.

 

 

If you want to hike the slot canyons, don’t go when the water is cold, nor during freshet in May – June.    Anywhere from the second half of July through the middle of September is a good time.    I once went through the slots in October and I was thoroughly chilled by cold water.   It is best to do this with someone else, just for safety.    Anyone trying to traverse the south slot may want to bring a rope.   Be aware of the potential for falling rock.

We have also hiked over the hill on the east side to go around to the south end.    There is no trail, but it is an alterative way to see the rest of the south canyon.

This is a Kamloops hidden gem, but all caution is required to explore the canyons.