Robbers Roost, Canyon system in southeastern Utah, United States

Robbers Roost is a canyon system in southeastern Utah, a remote tributary of the Dirty Devil River. Seen from above, pale tan and cream sandstone forms stepped walls and ridged fins split by narrow, winding gullies, with a rust-red band running across the lower slopes. Its steep, narrow slot canyons are used by technical canyoneers.

Robbers Roost served as an outlaw hideout in southeastern Utah for over 30 years in the late 19th century. Elzy Lay and Butch Cassidy first formed the Wild Bunch gang there, and the outlaws built cabins to shelter from harsh winters, storing weapons, horses, chickens and cattle. Lawmen never found the site; only five women are known to have been allowed inside.

The name comes from the outlaw hideout, and Robbers Roost Canyon, a tributary of the Dirty Devil River, carries it. Only five women are known to have entered the hideout: Ann and Josie Bassett, Etta Place, Maude Davis and Laura Bullion. Zane Grey set a novel near the Dirty Devil River, and Robert Redford devoted a chapter to the site in The Outlaw Trail.

Robbers Roost lies in southeastern Utah, roughly fifty miles east of Hanksville per Charlie Siringo's account. Routes are unpaved desert roads, so high-clearance four-wheel-drive vehicles are needed. Carry plenty of water and basic supplies; the slot canyons are popular with technical canyoneers and demand rope skills.

The Bluejohn Canyon section gained worldwide attention after Aaron Ralston became trapped by a boulder and later inspired a film about his survival. This incident illustrates just how isolated and hazardous the terrain truly is.