Canyoning is more commonly called "canyoneering" in the US, but I like the Aussie name much better. It combines a number of my favorite activities in the mountains: descending into rugged pristine canyons where few people ever go, involving lots of scrambling, usually off-trail travel, and sometimes even ropes and climbing gear. Some of the little niches you can find hidden in these canyons blow my mind: slot canyons, ferny grottoes, darkling pools and waterfalls. What's there not to like about it?
Two of the best-known places with lots of canyoning opportunities are the Colorado Plateau (southern and eastern Utah and northern Arizona) and the Blue Mountains near Sydney. But you can find some very impressive stuff in mountain ranges all over the place. For example, the San Gabriels just north of Los Angeles have a number of fantastic canyons. Eaton Canyon, for example, is easily in the same league as the best Utah or the Blue Mountains have to offer.
Here are some related pages on this website:
Here are some online resources: