Peekaboo Slot Canyon Trailhead

Peek a Boo Slot canyon in Kanab, Utah is an easy 1.5 mile (2.4K) hike through a spectacular slot canyon located about 10 miles north of Kanab. For a broader perspective, note that the trailhead is about 2 hours one-way from Bryce Canyon National Park. From Torrey (Capitol Reef), it takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes. Note that if you travel east on Route 12 beyond the junction with Hole-in-the-Rock Road, the popular Calf Creek Falls is only an additional 14 miles. Overview Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon is a quiet, special place off the beaten path just outside of beautiful Kanab. The quiet serenity of beautiful colored Navajo Sandstone rocks that have taken millions of years to form will take your breath away and leave you wanting more.

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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Reviews

Martin Petranov

4 months ago

Very helpful

Thank you for the nice and detailed description of the trail !

5.0

Madison Sankovitz

🥇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

🥈 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

🥇Top Contributor

about 4 years ago

Bypass the 15 foot wall to enter Peek-A-Boo!

Peek A Boo Slot Canyon Trailhead

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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Overview

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 year. The names fit, and this is a place that will make you feel like a kid again working through the fun slots. For the more energetic, it is a short distance down canyon to Brimstone, the fiercest of the 3 canyons in the area, and well worth the time to visit.

Getting There

Head east out of the town of Escalante about 5 miles on highway 12 until the well signed Hole in the Rock road.

• Turn onto the Hole In The Rock Road and reset your odometer. ( 12S 453596mE 4175370mN / N37° 43' 28' W111° 31' 36' )
• Go down the Hole in the Rock road 26.5 miles to the signed Dry Fork Trailhead road on the left. ( 12S 480188mE 4146664mN / N37° 27' 60' W111° 13' 27' )
• Follow this road 0.7 miles to a junction where you go left (road #252) ( 12S 481239mE 4146571mN / N37° 27' 57' W111° 12' 44' )
• Another half mile to the end of the road is the trailhead. ( 12S 480523mE 4147775mN / N37° 28' 36' W111° 13' 13' )

Route

From the trailhead, follow the marked trail north down into Dry Fork. The trail is well-worn and easy to follow. At the bottom turn right, and find Peek-a-boo coming in 4 minutes down the canyon on the left. A 6 m ( 20 ft. ) up-climb guards the entrance to Peek-a-boo. The climb has carved steps but is still a little tricky. A short rope for a handline may be useful for beginners. This up climb is the biggest obstacle of the hike.

Once in Peek-a-boo, enjoy the many arches and narrows. What a gem! Continue up the canyon until the canyon opens into a wide open wash. Here a cairned trail takes off on the right. Follow this trail about 10 minutes over the open country to where it drops into Spooky, a large open wash at this point.

Peek A Boo Slot Canyon Trailhead Hike

Head down Spooky! It gets deep and dark very quickly. Several spots are narrow enough you have to turn sideways. Spooky is an amazing canyon, and a lot of fun to descend. A couple of minor down climbs occur in the upper section, but if you look around, an easy path over or under the obstacle can be found. Once Spooky opens up, follow it down to its junction with Dry Fork in about 5 minutes.

Last on the list is Brimstone. From the junction of Spooky and Dry Fork, hike down Dry Fork about 30 minutes to the first major canyon coming in on the left. This section can change with each flood, but is usually an easy walk.

Spooky Slot Canyon Trailhead

30 minutes down from Spooky a wide side canyon comes in on the left with impressive sand slides on the west side. This canyon is Brimstone. Hike up the wide wash 10-15 minutes to where it suddenly narrows to an incredibly deep and dark slot. Work your way up as far as you comfortably can, but be careful, at least one person has gotten stuck in Brimstone. Return up Dry Fork to Peek-a-boo and the trail you came in on.

Maps

Peek A Boo Slot Canyon Trailhead Trail