Peekaboo And Spooky Slot Canyon Map

• Peekaboo And Spooky Slot Canyons
• Peekaboo And Spooky Slot Canyon Maple

When it comes to great canyoneering, we sure are spoiled here in Utah. The Colorado Plateau holds virtually a lifetime of canyons waiting to be explored, and slot canyons here are plentiful. Peek-A-Boo, Spooky, and Brimstone Gulch are three of the best little cracks in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. If you are looking for a slot canyon adventure, or perhaps putting together a bucket list of 'must-see' places, these should be near the top.

The best part about Peek-A-Boo, Spooky, and Brimstone slot canyons is that they can all be explored in a single day. Get yourself down to the town of Escalante, and point your vehicle south on Hole-in-the-Rock Road. The road is graded and passable for most vehicles, though it can become seriously muddy after a storm. Drive approximately 25 miles on Hole-in-the-Rock Road and make a left at the signed turnoff for the Dry Fork Coyote Gulch trailhead, about 1.5 miles further. A register and some signs mark the beginning of the trail.

Peekaboo and Spooky are the quintessential first slot canyon experience for many. Relatively easy access, incredible slots, and a short day make this a hike to bring the family on. These canyons are popular for good reason. The story goes the canyons received their names by a school group visiting from the town of Escalante around Halloween one. Dry Fork Narrows, Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyons is a 6.3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Escalante, Utah that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as difficult. The trail is primarily used for hiking and walking and is best used from May until November. Length 6.3 miElevation gain 738 ftRoute type Loop.

Descend the slickrock shelf towards Dry Fork Coyote Gulch. Cairns (small piles of stacked rocks) help to keep hikers headed in the right direction. Soon you will arrive in Dry Fork, and a short hike will bring you to the mouth of Peek-A-Boo Gulch. My advice is to continue down Dry Fork, saving Peek-A-Boo for the end of the hike. There is no true trail in Dry Fork; instead, hikers simply make their way down the wash. Continuing down Dry Fork will eventually bring you to a short section of narrows with a chockstone blocking the path. Hikers can scramble past this problem, or bypass it by backtracking a short distance and finding a way around on the north side. Once you are back in Dry Wash, it's just a short hike to the mouth of Brimstone Gulch. A cairn often marks the way. The first 1/4 mile is a tough trek through the sandy lower portion of Brimstone. Eventually, the walls begin to close in. Brimstone Gulch is the deepest and darkest of the three canyons in the area, and it often contains water that can be up to waist deep. Exploration of Brimstone ends when the canyon is simply too narrow to continue. Head back out and retrace your steps up Dry Fork wash- it's time for Spooky and Peek-A-Boo.

Spooky Gulch can't be seen from Dry Fork, but an obvious hiker trail through the sand will direct you where to go. Almost immediately upon entering Spooky, the walls close in and the light gets low. This is an aptly named slot canyon, with walls so close together that you will have to take off your pack and turn sideways to continue on. As you get further up canyon, some scrambling up small obstacles is required. Exiting Spooky demands hikers complete a Class 3 move to upclimb a cluster of chockstones. Many folks will decide to turn back at this point, but if you have the skills to proceed up the rocks, you'll soon be at the end of Spooky. From here, simply head west on an obvious hiking trail (again, the trail is marked with cairns to keep you on the right path) until you arrive at the top of Peek-A-Boo.

Brimstone is the deepest, Spooky has the skinniest narrows, and Peek-A-Boo may have the best colors and features. Gorgeous hues of red and orange glow in morning and afternoon light. There are several places where Peek-A-Boo can collect water, but all of these can be scrambled around without getting your boots wet. There are many outstanding features in Peek-A-Boo, including a double natural bridge near the mouth. Leave Peek-A-Boo by sliding or climbing down the steep rock face that marks its beginning.

Hikers of any skill level can explore the majority of these three slot canyons. The most difficult obstacle is the exit climb out of Spooky Gulch. Plan to take anywhere from 3-6 hours to explore all three slots. The best seasons for hiking are spring and fall; summer is just too hot for most of us. The slots are all cool and dark, and sometimes contain water, so be prepared with extra gear. Never enter a slot canyon if rain is in the forecast for the surrounding areas. Free, overnight permits are needed for camping below the canyon rim (anywhere below the parking lot area) and can be obtained from the Escalante Visitor Center. There are also plenty of at-large camping spots along Hole-in-the-Rock Road. And don't forget your camera…you don't want to miss the awed expressions of fellow hikers in these incredible slot canyons!

Getting There: From the town of Escalante, drive southeast on Hole-in-the-Rock Road for approximately 25 miles. Turn left at signed road for Dry Fork Coyote Gulch. Drive 1.5 miles over rough road to the parking area.

Maps: Big Hollow Wash 7.5″ topo map; Trails Illustrated Canyons of the Escalante Map #710

Dogs: Dogs are allowed on the hike, but a sign at the trailhead warns that it is not an appropriate hike for them. I have personally seen several dogs making their way up the canyons with their masters. Know your pooch's limits and consider that sand and slickrock is very hard on their paw pads.

Special Gear: Good hiking boots or shoes and a pair of water shoes if it has rained recently; plenty of water

*Recommended guides:
The Wildland Trekking Company →
Utah Slickrock Guides →

Peek-a-boo Gulch is a short slot canyon in the Dry Fork area of the Grand Staircase- Escalante area, located on the Hole-in-the-Rock Road, 26 miles south of the town of Escalante. Peek-a-boo is not very long, or physically demanding, but it requires some navigational and rock-scrambling skill in order to get through its twists and chutes.

In order to reach Peek-a-boo Gulch, visitors should drive the 26 miles down the Hole-in-the-Rock Road off of Highway 12, until they find the Dry Fork Road, heading northeast into the desert. The Dry Fork turnoff branches after only a few hundred yards, and visitors need to stay left in order to reach the Dry Fork overlook.

Peek-a-boo can be combined with Spooky Gulch to make a fun loop hike. The recommended route is to actually take Peek-a-boo Gulch first, scrambling north up through its depths, and upon exiting, hiking overland to the east for half a mile until the wide streambed above Spooky Gulch is reached. From there, follow Spooky back down to Dry Fork, and then hike back to the overlook. The total loop route is about 3.5 miles long.

Dry Fork Turnoff

Peekaboo And Spooky Slot Canyons

The entire route from Highway 12 is an extremely rugged washboard road with sand traps and the occasional rut. Though vans and cars can tackle the route, a four-wheel drive vehicle with decent suspension is recommended.

Dry Fork Overlook

There is a parking lot at the end of the Dry Fork road, beside an overlook that sits 300 feet above the canyon systems below it. From this vantage point, visitors can see the rock formations that hide Spooky and Peekaboo Gulches.

Dry Fork

Peek-a-boo Gulch is a short slot canyon in the Dry Fork area of the Grand Staircase- Escalante area, located on the Hole-in-the-Rock Road, 26 miles south of the town of Escalante. Peek-a-boo is not very long, or physically demanding, but it requires some navigational and rock-scrambling skill in order to get through its twists and chutes.

In order to reach Peek-a-boo Gulch, visitors should drive the 26 miles down the Hole-in-the-Rock Road off of Highway 12, until they find the Dry Fork Road, heading northeast into the desert. The Dry Fork turnoff branches after only a few hundred yards, and visitors need to stay left in order to reach the Dry Fork overlook.

Peek-a-boo can be combined with Spooky Gulch to make a fun loop hike. The recommended route is to actually take Peek-a-boo Gulch first, scrambling north up through its depths, and upon exiting, hiking overland to the east for half a mile until the wide streambed above Spooky Gulch is reached. From there, follow Spooky back down to Dry Fork, and then hike back to the overlook. The total loop route is about 3.5 miles long.

Dry Fork Turnoff

Peekaboo And Spooky Slot Canyons

The entire route from Highway 12 is an extremely rugged washboard road with sand traps and the occasional rut. Though vans and cars can tackle the route, a four-wheel drive vehicle with decent suspension is recommended.

Dry Fork Overlook

There is a parking lot at the end of the Dry Fork road, beside an overlook that sits 300 feet above the canyon systems below it. From this vantage point, visitors can see the rock formations that hide Spooky and Peekaboo Gulches.

Dry Fork

A short climb from the overlook takes hikers down a winding path along the slopes and boulders of the cliff, and into the sandy bottom of Dry Fork below. Immediately ahead is Peek-a-boo Gulch, heading north. Spooky Gulch is farther down the dry creek bed to the east, and the Dry Fork itself continues west.

Peek-a-boo Gulch Trailhead

Though not nearly as long, deep, or narrow as Spooky Gulch, Peek-a-boo has its own unique challenges and thrills. Right off the bat, as visitors begin the trail from the bottom of Dry Fork, they will note the steps carved into the wall that they must climb in order to reach the slot canyon. At the top of the steps, they will find a pothole that is generally full of water year-round, which can be circumvented without getting wet by those smart and agile enough.

Peekaboo And Spooky Slot Canyon Maple

End of the Gulch Wild patagonia slot machines.

The Peek-a-boo route eventually climbs up out of the slot canyon, and onto the high ground above. From there, hikers can turn right around and head back the way they came, or they can head overland to the south until they hit Spooky Gulch and continue with phase two of the adventure.

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