• Peekaboo, Spooky, & Brimstone Slot Canyon Map – 2 Deaths on the Loop updated: November 27, 2020 A super-fun scramble through a network of slot canyons in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, off of the Hole-in-the-Rock Road.
• Experience Southern Utah’s Zion National Park and Peekaboo Slot Canyon to view the beautiful canyons, and colorful picnic in brilliant colors. Observe a dramatic scenery change as your tour gains nearly 6,000 feet in elevation, from desert to towering Ponderosa pine forests!Travelers will stop at Zion National Park Visitor Center.
• Peek-a-boo & Spooky Slot Canyons To get to the canyons we drove back to Hole-in-the-Rock Road and followed it south for 26 miles. There are a number of interesting attractions and trailheads along this 62 mile dirt road that runs from Escalante all the way to the shore of Lake Powell.
• Dry Fork, Spooky, and Peak-A-Boo are three amazing slot canyons down Hole-in-the-Rock Road in Escalante, Utah. Combing these three slots make for approximately a 3.5-mile day hike that is packed full of fun, clambering and winding through the cracks and crevices of this area.

1. Escalante Utah Slot Canyons Spooky Park
2. Escalante Utah Slot Canyons Spooky Games
3. Escalante Utah Slot Canyons Spooky Nights

Spooky Slot Canyon is still a bit down the canyon, so either head down the wash or look for the trail that cuts through. After about a quarter to a half mile from Peek-a-Boo Canyon, Spooky Gulch appears from a small side canyon.

Photos and words by Dylan H. Brown

There are few places in the world where children and adults rejoice together in unadulterated excitement. The only thing that might compare to the Peek-a-boo and Spooky slot canyons is a theme park. But excitement in the high Utah desert beats out the high found in large cities.

Located in the heart of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Peek-a-boo and Spooky slot canyons are known as the best slot canyons in the entire Monument. These non-technical, fun slot canyons can be enjoyed by the entire family (no dogs allowed). Beware, it’s not for the claustrophobic, as both canyons have sections where the explorer must turn sideways to squeeze through 12-inch wide sections. Extremely large people might have difficulty in Spooky.

From the trailhead parking lot follow the well-marked trail down the mesa to the open wash below. This is Dry Fork. From here follow it downstream, passing one canyon to the left. The second canyon is Peek-a-boo. The initial climb into the canyon is by far the most difficult, but there is usually a log to help assist. Once in the canyon, the cavernous and overarching walls make the visitor feel as if they have stumbled into a new planet. The first hundred feet consists of multiple archways, where light bounces off the walls to create a cathedral-esque glow. The canyon eventually widens and the walls’ angles subside, allowing an easy scramble out to the south (right).

If the initial climb up Peek-a-boo proves too difficult, try doing the loop in reverse.

The first hundred yards of Peek-a-boo is rather surreal.

To create a loop out of the canyon system, head south from Peek-a-boo across the sand dunes to the next drainage. If you come to a deep slot canyon, follow it back upstream (east) until the canyon widens considerably. The beginning of Spooky is a very wide wash, so don’t be alarmed if you think you have missed the canyon; just head downstream and it will quickly tighten up. This section of the loop requires moderate route finiding, so if you don’t feel comfortable crossing open desert dunes, there are guide services available: http://www.escalanteut.com/services/guides-outfitters/

Spooky is considerably different from Peek-a-boo. The walls are much straighter and the depth of the canyon is much deeper. Photographers: small tripods or flash may be required. There are several chockstones in the canyon, but none require ropes, only a little chimneying and scrambling. As the canyon descends, it becomes darker and more “Spooky.” There are a few sections where the width is only 12 inches.
The slot canyon ends in Dry Fork wash. Head upstream (right), pass the entrance to Peek-a-boo and retrace the route you took on the way in. This can also pose some problems for inexperienced route finders. Be sure to take note of your way in.

Mind the gap! At times Spooky narrows to 12 inches.

Summary:

At only 3.5 miles for the entire loop, the hike is moderate in intensity. It does require some scrambling skills, but for the most part, an average athletic individual will have no problem climbing through the canyons. If the initial climb into Peek-a-boo is too difficult, the loop can be done in reverse, as downclimbing the 25-foot entrance seems to be easier for many people. There is no water, so be sure to carry at least two liters per person. Also, moderate route finding is required, so map and compass, and/or GPS is recommended.

Getting there:

From Escalante, head east on Highway 12 to the Hole-in-the-Rock Road. From there drive south for 26.5 miles to the turnoff for Dry Fork, which is clearly marked with a sign on the east side of the road (left). From the turnoff, drive 1.7 miles to the trailhead parking area. The beginning of the trail is clearly marked and should have cairns leading to the bottom of Dry Fork wash.

Hole-in-the-Rock road can be accessed with smaller cars, but later in the season washboards can become quite large. Bigger wheeled vehicles are recommended. The Dry Fork trailhead road can be accessed by car as well, but be aware there are a few rough spots. As always, check with the Escalante visitors center for the latest road and trail conditions.

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Escalante Utah Slot Canyons Spooky Park

General Information:
Dry Fork contains the four slot canyons of Peekaboo, Spooky, Brimstone and Dry Fork Narrows. These canyons can be combined in many fashions to create an adventure lasting from several hours to a full day of exploring. The slots are accessible to most hikers and photographers with only a small amount of scrambling required. Fall and spring are the preferred seasons to do this route. The routes can also be done in summer as there is shade available.

The complete Dry Fork route is rated 1A III using the Canyon Rating System. In normal conditions you might find some wading ranging from ankle to knee deep depending on recent conditions. It's also possible you will find the slots completely dry. Go prepared for at least some minor wading. Most groups will find a short 50-foot section of rope useful for handlines and to help in raising and lowering backpacks. This is a desert environment so bring plenty of water.

A GPS is helpful in identifying waypoints and verifying your location. Good map reading skills and the USGS 7.5' Map titled 'Big Hollow Wash' are valuable tools. All waypoints and maps for this route use the WGS84 datum. Navigation for this route is moderate. There is hiker trail for most of the way which is not difficult to follow. Mistakes in navigation are easy to overcome and correct on this route. These canyons have a moderate flashflood danger, check the local weather before entering these slot canyons.

Trailhead Information:
From Main and Center in the town of Escalante, Utah travel 5.0 miles east on Highway 12 to the signed Hole-In-The-Rock Road (N37° 43' 39', W111° 31' 54'). The maintained gravel road is located on the south side of Highway 12. Turn south (right) on Hole-In-The-Rock Road and travel 26.3 miles to the signed Dry Fork Road (N37° 28' 00', W111° 13' 27'). Turn east (left) and follow the Dry Forks Road 0.7 miles to a junction (N37° 27' 56', W111° 12' 44'). Turn north (left) at the junction and follow the road 0.9 miles to the Dry Fork Trailhead.

The Dry Fork Trailhead is accessible to all vehicles in normal weather conditions. A vehicle shuttle is not required to complete this route.

Route Information:
From the Dry Fork Trailhead(N37° 28' 38', W111° 12' 58') follow the well used trail north for one mile as it descends to the bottom of Dry Fork Coyote Gulch (N37° 28' 52', W111° 13' 05'). Once in the canyon bottom you can hike north (upstream) for 1/2 mile and explore the Dry Fork Narrows.

Once you have explored the Dry Fork Narrows return to where you entered the wash and hike downstream a short distance to Peekaboo Canyon (N37° 28' 53', W111° 13' 00'). Peekaboo and Spooky are normally done as a loop hike by going up Peekaboo and down Spooky. This is the easiest method of defeating the obstacles you will face. This direction also puts the most difficult obstacle, which is the entrance into Peekaboo first on the to-do list. If you can enter Peekaboo you should have the skills required to complete the loop.

From the entrance of Peekaboo climb up the 20-foot dryfall using steps carved in the sandstone. Those less skilled might find a partner assist and the use of a handline to be helpful. Once up the dryfall hike upstream and enjoy the show. This canyon contains several nice arches and bridges. Continue up through the narrows until the canyon opens up and a cairned hiker trail (N37° 29' 08', W111° 13' 00') exits the wash to the east (right).

Follow the hiker trail 1/2 mile east to the top of Spooky Canyon (N37° 29' 06', W111° 12' 34'). From the top of Spooky hike downstream and enjoy the narrows. You will encounter some great narrows and a couple minor obstacles in this slot but nothing too difficult. Once the canyon opens up continue hiking downstream until you reach its confluence with Dry Forks (N37° 28' 49', W111° 12' 29').

Once you reach Dry Forks hike downstream (east) for 3/4 miles to where a wide side canyon known as Brimstone Canyon (N37° 28' 32', W111° 11' 47') enters from the north (left). Hike up the wide wash a short distance to where the canyon narrows quickly to become a deep and skinny slot canyon. Hike upstream as far as you wish, but use caution, at least one hiker has become wedged in Brimstone and had to be rescued. The secret to success is not to force your way into any extremely tight constriction. Once you are done exploring Brimstone hike back up Dry Fork and return to the trailhead.

Trapped Hiker:
In 1996 a Tucson, AZ, photographer was stranded for eight days in Brimstone Canyon of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. He survived on a swallow of water per day while awaiting rescue. He was found by a search dog when the dog tracked him to the edge of the crevasse. When rescued, he was taken to the hospital, treated for dehydration and released after a couple days' rest.

Video:
Enjoy a short video of hiking Peek-a-boo and Spooky Canyons. Video courtesy of Dan Burt.

Escalante Utah Slot Canyons Spooky Games

Controversy:
The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument was declared in September 1996 at the height of the 1996 presidential election campaign by President Bill Clinton, and was controversial from the moment of creation. The declaration ceremony was held at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, and not in the state of Utah. The Utah congressional delegation and state governor were notified only 24 hours in advance. This was seen by many as a transparent political ploy to gain votes in the contested state of Arizona. That November, Clinton won Arizona by a margin of 2.2%. Local officials and Utah Congressman objected to the designation of the Monument, questioning whether the Antiquities Act allowed such vast amounts of land to be designated a monument.
Environmental groups had long sought wilderness designation for the lands inside the monument. While designation of the monument is not legally the same as wilderness designation, for most practical purposes it is very similar. Bill Clinton significantly improved his standing with environmentalists by designating the monument.

Escalante Utah Slot Canyons Spooky Nights

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