Peekaboo Slot Canyon Hike
*Recommended guides:
The Wildland Trekking Company →
Utah Slickrock Guides →
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. The canyon is the first tributary joining Dry Fork of Coyote Gulch downstream of the usual entrance point to that canyon. Photographs 5 views of Peekaboo Gulch. Route Description There is usually a pool of murky water beneath the end of Peekaboo Gulch, which may be up to 3 feet deep, with a near vertical rock wall about 10 feet high beyond.
Trail Head: 37.466336, -111.223912
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 2 miles roundtrip
The trailhead for Wire Pass actually begins the hike into Buckskin Gulch, so if you aren’t interested in completing the 21-mile hike, Wire Pass is a great way to capture the experience and magic of a slot canyon, without making the full commitment to a more technical canyoneering outing. HIKING PEEK-A-BOO & SPOOKY GULCH SLOT CANYONS. Hiking Peek-a-Boo and Spooky slot canyons is basically a loop between the two canyons. You come to Peek-a-Boo first, hike up that canyon, and then take a short trail that connects to the top of Spooky to hike down that canyon. 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.
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
(37.466336, -111.223912)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
(37.476527, -111.220234)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
(37.481171, -111.217935)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
(37.481407, -111.216655)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.
End of the Gulch
(37.485367, -111.216729) 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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Added by Rebecca Stubbs
Explore 2 slot canyons in 1 hike. There is a little scrambling and climbing on this 3.5 mile loop.
This hike is located in the Grand-Staircase-Escalante Monument and the nearest town is Escalante, Utah. From Escalante, you take Hole-in-the-Rock Road 26 miles to the Dry Fork road turn-off. The Hole-in-the-Rock road It is a dirt road, and while I did see some sedans and minivans, I suggest a vehicle with higher clearance/ 4-wheel drive. If you do not have a high clearance vehicle, it will just add an extra mile or so each way onto your hike because you will not be able go that last mile after you turn off the Hole-in-the-Rock Road.
This adventure is great because you get to explore 2 stunning slot canyons in one hike! It is a 3.5 mile loop so you go up one canyon and down the other. I highly suggest going up Peek-a-boo and then down Spooky. The obstacles in these canyons are easier when done in this direction. These canyons provide a great introduction to canyoneering. They are not too technical as there is no need for ropes. Pools of water are a possibility, however it was dry when I was there in May even with rain the day before. There will be some scrambling/climbing required and places where you need to take off your pack and turn sideways in order to fit through narrow passages. If you are claustrophobic this hike would not be for you!
From the parking lot there is a 3/4 mile hike across slick rock and sand to descend into the wash where the canyons are located. The trail will lead you straight to the start of peekaboo canyon which begins with a 15ish foot wall with hand/foot holes to get you up into the canyon. After that you follow the canyon up to the top, follow the cairns across the plateau for about 1/2 mile and you will be led right to the top of spooky canyon. Then you just go down this canyon, follow the wash back to the start of peek-a-boo and then follow the same trail that you came in on back to the parking lot.
The loop hike takes around 3 hours for the average hiker. If you really wanted to, you could do one without the other, just go up one and back down, but the canyons are so drastically different from each other, I highly recommend doing the loop and seeing both of them! Peek-a-boo is smooth sandstone with arches, and large 'bowls' that you have to climb up and over whereas Spooky is narrow, with an area of rock falls that you need to 'chimney down' and the walls are very bumpy.
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Join the communityReviews
Martin Petranov
4 months ago
Very helpful
Thank you for the nice and detailed description of the trail !
5.0
Madison Sankovitz
ExplorerPeek A Boo Slot Canyon Hike
🥇Top Contributor
over 2 years ago
Beautiful
Exploring two slot canyons in one hike was cool. I scrambled and climbed a little bit on this 3.5-mile loop.
5.0
Matt Purciel
Explorer🥈 Contributor
about 4 years ago
Great hike!
Both of these slot canyon are worth exploring and each have their own characteristics! But we had a little trouble finding Peekaboo and ended up at Spooky first. To do the loop make sure to head left/down right after the trail starts! We ended up following the cairns straight and ended up in a wash farther down the canyon. I would also recommend searching for the GPS coordinates so you don't miss the entrances.
5.0
John Maurizi
Explorer🥇Top Contributor
about 4 years ago
Bypass the 15 foot wall to enter Peek-A-Boo!
Many people avoid entering Peek-A-Boo slot canyon because of the daunting 15 foot vertical wall that must be climbed to get into the slot, or water in front of of the wall. Rightly so! With no rock climbing experience, this can be a frightening and dangerous venture. My last trip I found a solution to avoid the wall! Facing the wall, look to the left. There is a sand dune that runs along the side of the wall. You will see an unmarked social trail ascending the sand dune and appears to wander away from the slot. Continue following this social trail until you are at a high point and can see a trail leading back toward the direction of the slot canyon. The trail is marked with cairns above the sand dune. This will lead directly back to the slot at a point that is easily down climbed. Once in the slot you can explore to the right which leads back to the wall you by-passed. That direction has several potholes, usually filled with water and several small arches stretching over the slot. To the left, the slot is easier with hardly any climbing and not very deep. You eventually exit the slot after a short distance.
5.0
Jake Thurman
over 4 years ago
Awesome!!!
Great hike!!! First time hiking in slot canyons and I loved it!! Incredibly beautiful and not difficult at all. Would absolutely do again! If you're in Escalante this is s must do!!!
5.0
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Peekaboo Spooky Slot Canyon Hike
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Peekaboo Slot Canyon Hike
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