How to Get Out of Quicksand (It’s Not Like the Movies!)

Quicksand in the desert is real. In the Southwest it forms in narrow canyons where water, sand, and silt mix and stay saturated long after a storm. It does not pull you under like the movies, but it can trap your legs, delay your exit, and turn a simple hike into a serious situation very quickly. How to spot it: • Look for patches of unusually smooth or jiggly ground that moves slightly under your weight. • Watch for cloudy or still water sitting on top of sand. • Toss a small rock onto suspicio