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.
- 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. Exploring the slot.
- Embark on an off-road excursion in a Hummer that culminates in a walk through a beautiful remote red rock slot canyon; Explore a slot canyon, a narrow high-walled slot made of red rock, carved out by eons of rushing water; Drive over meandering desert trails and travel off-road amongst sweet smelling sage and seasonal vegetation as you.
- 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.
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
Explorer🥇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
Peek A Boo Slot Canyon Trailhead South Rim
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