- Spooky And Peek A Boo Slot Canyons Map
- Peek A Boo Canyon Kanab Utah Maps
- Peek A Boo Slot Canyon Trail Map
GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT—In a vast, desolate section of the Southern Utah desert, two magnificent natural passageways sit hidden below the surface a half-mile from each other: Peek-A-Boo and Spooky gulches. When linked together, these slot canyons make for a day hike into the depths of a desert underworld that will captivate even the most seasoned adventurer.
The walls of these twisted sandstone corridors are so tall and wavy, only a slight void high above you allows light in. Once you enter, the splendor around every turn is contagious, alluring you onward.
These particular slots are narrow enough to touch both walls with your outstretched hands, sometimes getting as narrow as shoulder width. As you shuffle through, each curve reveals fragmented slivers of light whose flickering patterns radiate the underworld and brighten up the rather eerie feeling of being deep underground.
Summary
From the parking lot, head down the slick rock. Follow the cairns until you end up at the mouth of Peek-A-Boo (you'll see a larger slot canyon before Peek-A-Boo). You can identify Peek-A-Boo by the stacked rocks and the hand and footholds carved into the sandstone in order to climb up into the canyon. Enjoy the journey through Peek-A-Boo.
As far as slot canyons go, these two are easily accessible. You can drive to the trailhead, and from there, a 15-minute stomp down a hill and through a wash – Dry Fork Wash – and you’ve reached the first canyon: Peek-A-Boo Gulch.
Although only about 3.5 miles long, this loop hike can take the better part of a day considering all the scrambling, shuffling, and maneuvering. It’s more like exploring an adult sized play-place then a traditional hike.
You can tour these slots however you’d like but the quickest route, after a 15-minute hike from the trailhead to the entrance of Peek-A-Boo is, in essence, a loop that is, in actuality, shaped more like a square.
Start by ascending Peek-A-Boo, a gradually inclining slot canyon. Once the walls of the canyon shallow out, turn right; hike cross-country to Spooky Gulch, then descend Spooky which runs parallel to Peek-A-Boo. At the mouth of Spooky hike back past the entrance of Peek-A-Boo, and back to the trailhead.
Peek-A-Boo
Using steps carved into the slope, scramble up the 15-foot lip at the entrance of Peek-A-Boo, and gasp at the teardrop shaped double arch that welcomes visitors to the magical canyon. There is a possible hot-tub sized pothole that is full of water sometimes right before the double arch. You can usually maneuver this pothole with some minor rock climbing skills, but if not, there’s nothing wrong with getting a little wet. Once you’re through the double arch, you’ve completed the most difficult section of Peek-A-Boo, however there are some minor obstacles ahead.
The twisting canyon walls stand about five-stories high, but the width fluctuates with every twist from about 10-feet wide to 3-feet wide. You will shuffle, scramble and rock hop gradually up the canyon which widens slightly after about 1/4 mile.
After 2/3 of a mile – approximately 45 minutes of hiking – the walls become shallow enough to hike out of the right side of the canyon. Although you can continue up the canyon to explore more of it, this is the traditional exit point.
Catch as much crisp air as you can while hiking cross-country for a about 1/2 mile along a heavily traveled trail, marked with cairns (little stacks of rocks). The trail descends into a highway-sized wash at the top of Spooky Gulch. Turn right (south) and enter this sandy wash which is your path into Spooky.
Spooky
Spooky And Peek A Boo Slot Canyons Map
The wash narrows at which point you start an abrupt down-climb through some boulders wedged into the canyon walls. The 1/3 mile long slot section begins at the boulders, which mark the most difficult section of the canyon. This section takes some minor climbing skills – this time climbing down – to maneuver two 10-foot drops.
Like walking through a reverse funnel, Spooky starts very narrow from this direction – only slightly wider then your chest in some spots – and gradually widens but never much wider then your outstretched hands.
Five adults of all different shapes and sizes fit through recently, and no one ever felt remotely close to getting stuck. That being said, the canyon can feel claustrophobic to some. Also, a lot of sideways shuffling is needed to get through the canyon. As you descend, the canyon becomes gradually wider and for most of the second half you can hike straight through without shuffling.
Spooky is deeper and darker with more drastically wavy, twisted walls then Peek-A-Boo. Also Spooky has coarser walls, speckled with dime sized protrusions that are very rough on your clothing.
Driving Directions
From Hole-In-The-Rock Road, just east on Highway 12 of the town of Escalante, drive 26 miles south on the well-groomed gravel road. Note: There are several sand patches that may be impassable when wet.
Turn left onto Dry Fork Road (more of an ATV path then a road). Shortly thereafter stay left at the fork. Follow Dry Fork road for a short distance until it deadends at the Dry Fork Trailhead, which is a high vantage point overlooking the valley to the north where both of these slots are located.
CAUTION Advisory
This review is not meant to be your guide. If you’re a first time slot explorer you need to learn mapping skills, and self-rescue skills. Although these specific slot canyons do not require technical rope skills, it is recommended to have someone along who knows backcountry rescue techniques in case they are needed.
These slots are in an extremely isolated part of Utah. There is no cell service for over 30 miles once you leave Escalante, and typically no water anywhere in the area. Stop at the Bureau of Land Management office in Escalante, 755 W. Main, and purchase a map and get weather updates before leaving the pavement. Bring more water and food than you think you need and preplan scenarios in which you might get stuck in the desert for the night.
WARNING: Slot canyons are notoriously dangerous. Distant rainstorms can cause flash floods even if the sky is blue above the canyon.After flash floods pass through the canyon, there can be boulders, trees and piles of sand that weren’t there before and the canyon may be impassable. Many injuries in slots occur from unnecessarily jumping off obstacles. Do everything you can to refrain from jumping. A twisted ankle in this desolate, isolated section of desert could result in serious problems.
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On most Southern Utah bucket lists, you’ll find the local favorite one-two punch of Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons. These magnificent hikes, located in the Dry Fork area of the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument area, can be done individually, but they make for a killer loop you can tackle in one afternoon of adventure. Once you’re in, all you have to do is walk through a scenic paradise of red and purple rock.
From the trailhead, get into Dry Fork Wash via moderate scrambling down some short cliffs and following cairns as needed. Once you’re off the cliff and into the sand dunes, you’ll hike along the creek wash until you see the mouth of Peek-a-Boo. There are hand and foot cut-outs in the rock to help you get up and into the canyon.
Once you leave Peek-a-Boo, keep hiking (longer than you think you should, most likely) until you come to a juniper tree, then follow the trail and cairns leading to the right and the entrance of Spooky Gulch. Scramble down a mellow rock face to get into the canyon. It soon tightens up, and you’ll be having a good time navigating the confines of this fun canyon. The loop generally takes about 3-4 hours depending on pace and skill level.
What Makes it Great
This three-miler will give you stellar views and a new perspective of slot canyons in Southern Utah. Unlike many of the Escalante-area slot canyons, Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Gulch require zero technical gear or know-how—although it requires some navigational and rock-scrambling skill. Peek-A-Boo is a slot and corkscrew, and Spooky Gulch is a narrow slot canyon. It is worth noting, due to the restrictive nature of the some of the spaces in Spooky, this canyon is better suited for smaller body types.
Adding to the cool factor of this destination is that it’s a loop — which is rare for these parts. You could just poke into one of the canyons for an hour to see what it’s all about, but why not do both while you’re there?
Who is Going to Love It
Everyone — except claustrophobes. This loop has scrambling and shuffling to make it like an adult-sized play-place. The natural waves and contours of the sandstone are awe-inspiring and perfect for pictures, while the light stemming and maneuvering are totally fun. The canyon only gets really tight in Spooky Gulch, where large adults who are backpacking will have to remove their backpacks to get through.
Because of some very tame climbing to get into both Peek-a-Boo and Spooky (if entered as a loop after Peek-a-Boo), it’s probably best to leave the dog at home. But if your mutt is a climber, and you are adamant about bringing it along, dogs are allowed here.
Directions, Parking and Regulations
Peek A Boo Canyon Kanab Utah Maps
GPS Coordinates for the trailhead:
(37.476782, -111.220040)
From the pull-off at Highway 12, head down Hole-in-the-Rock Road for 26.3 miles to Dry Fork road and the trailhead — set and watch your odometer to be sure. Make sure you have a full tank of gas and lots of water as there are no amenities down this rough dirt road.
This section of Hole-in-the-Rock Road provides easy access for passenger vehicles when dry; when wet, due to the clay consistency of the dirt, it might be impassable for even 4x4 vehicles. To be safe, don’t drive on wet roads in the desert.
The trip is great in the spring or fall, any time of day; the cool canyon makes for a respite from the summer’s heat in the area. Just make sure you always check the weather report, because this is flash-flood country, and June, July, and August carry the greatest risk. Also note that there have been sightings of Great Basin rattlesnakes in the canyons and in the desert in general — be careful.
Peek A Boo Slot Canyon Trail Map
For current conditions on any of the slot canyons off Hole-in-the-Rock Road, Burr Trail, or other hiking opportunities in, or along the Escalante River and its side canyons, please contact the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center at 435-826-5499.
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