This Western U.S. Canyon Is Deeper Than the Grand Canyon and Spans 2 States-and It Has Few Crowds and Stunning River Views

""The Grand Canyon gained fame over the decades, as it garnered more media attention long before people knew much about Hells Canyon. Many fewer people raft Hells Canyon each year than the Grand Canyon-permits are tightly controlled by the U.S. Forest Service-[and] hiking infrastructure is generally less developed and less used than in the Grand Canyon.""

""The most spectacular thing about Saqánpa (Hells Canyon) is that it is located within the homelands of the Nimiipuu (Nez Perce), who continue to have a relationship to the land and water for over 16,500 years. Hells Canyon is a place of deep cultural, historical, and spiritual significance.""

Hells Canyon National Recreation Area spans 652,488 acres across Oregon and Idaho. It features the deepest river gorge in North America, reaching depths of around 8,000 feet. Hells Canyon is 2,000 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon and is more remote, with fewer visitors. The area has significant cultural ties to the Indigenous Nimiipuu people, who have inhabited the region for over 16,500 years, emphasizing its historical and spiritual importance.

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