Name: Peek-A-Boo & Spooky Slot Canyons
Rating: 4.8

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Overview

You'll be hiking in the desert to get to some beautiful slot canyons. These canyons beg for their pictures to be taken, so don't forget the camera. Besides beauty, the canyons are obviously located in the desert. Make sure to bring plenty of water and food.

This hike may not be comfortable for claustrophobic or heavy people. Both canyons get very narrow but Spooky, in particular, might make you suck it in a lot!

Need to Know

Pay attention to the cairns. Bring plenty of water. Heavy people might not be able to make it through Spooky.

Directions: From the junction of Highway 12 and 24 near Torrey, UT, head south on Highway 12 for 58 miles. Turn left on Hole in the Rock Rd (BLM 200) and continue on Hole in the Rock Rd for 25.9 miles. Turn left on BLM 252 and continue to trailhead head parking lot.

Description

From the parking lot, head down the slick rock. Follow the cairns until you end up at the mouth of Peek-A-Boo (you'll see a larger slot canyon before Peek-A-Boo). You can identify Peek-A-Boo by the stacked rocks and the hand and footholds carved into the sandstone in order to climb up into the canyon. Enjoy the journey through Peek-A-Boo.

Once you exit Peek-A-Boo, again, follow the cairns east where you'll eventually make your way into a large wash. The wash (and cairns) will lead you to the mouth of Spooky. Follow spooky through and enjoy! Note, Spooky gets REALLY tight.

After exiting Spooky look for the cairn that will be straight ahead (don't go right like I did). You'll continue straight across the wash and make your way back to Peek-A-Boo and then back to the parking lot.

Contacts

Land Manager: BLM Utah - Kanab Field Office

Shared By:

Donald Cressman

Full Details

Trail Ratings

4.8 from 52 votes

#1

in Escalante Canyons

#166

Overall

4.8 from 52 votes

5 Star		88%
4 Star		8%
3 Star		4%
2 Star		0%
1 Star		0%

Recommended Route Rankings

#1

in Escalante Canyons

#21

in Utah

#166

Overall

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Photos

Mar 23, 2015 near Loa, UT

Apr 11, 2023 near Escalante, UT

Mar 23, 2015 near Loa, UT

Aug 13, 2015 near Loa, UT

The colors in Peek-a-boo Gulch are truly breathtaking.

Jun 11, 2017 near Escalante, UT

Lighting in Peek-a-boo Gulch is best in the morning.

Jun 11, 2017 near Escalante, UT

6 Comments

Weather

Current Trail Conditions

Minor Issues 32 days ago

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Check-Ins

May 25, 2023

J Rai

Lower Dry Fork Trailhead to Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon

May 22, 2023

Atsuko Ohtake

Apr 11, 2023

Stewart Carnes

Nov 27, 2022

Rachel Martin

5mi

Sep 26, 2022

Jeff Giesler

Hiked to entrances & gulch

Apr 11, 2022

Mikaela Lidgard

Mar 31, 2022

Emily Wytiaz

Jul 31, 2021

Jordan Hansen

Jun 5, 2021

Heather Wiscombe

May 5, 2021

Mistic Shape

Great hike, there are some tight slots but had a blast, very gorgeous. The hike back is tough alot of uphill in sand. 3mi — 3h 00m

May 4, 2021

Cole B

4.2mi — 3h 05m

Apr 28, 2021

Zac Johnson

Dec 12, 2020

Jake Murie

Dec 5, 2020

Brandon Dotinga

Nov 20, 2020

Larimar Gonzalez Lora

Nov 11, 2020

Tom Tom

Aug 9, 2020

Emily Freed

Whoops went the wrong way turned around and went back lots of extra miles... 5mi

Jul 21, 2020

Josh Jewell

5.4mi — 3h 42m

Jul 3, 2020

Dakota D

Type II fun 5.1mi — 5h 19m

Jun 27, 2020

Allen York

Jun 17, 2020

Jessica Luty

Jun 16, 2020

John Korte

Sep 20, 2019

Daniel Kepple

Spooky gets tight and you have to brace yourself in a few areas! Well worth the trek — 2h 01m

Sep 15, 2019

Will Schott

Sep 7, 2019

Shaela Mitchell

We did this just at the wrong time of day. It was about 80 degrees out. This hike is totally worth the drive. Bring lots of water. 3.9mi — 4h 00m

Jul 8, 2019

J P

Jun 29, 2019

Steve Robinson

Amazing slot canyon! 3.1mi — 2h 30m

Jun 19, 2019

May-Lin Kirylo

Jun 9, 2019

Sam Bailey

May 27, 2019

Christine Nervig

Go clockwise 5.8mi — 3h 00m

May 16, 2019

Dave Leddy

May 4, 2019

Frances Weston

Apr 22, 2019

Pritha Golden

Apr 10, 2019

Elyana Barrera

Apr 5, 2019

Lori Wagner

Apr 5, 2019

Andrew B

Mar 13, 2019

Sophia Estudante

Dec 23, 2018

Ethan Miller

Follow the Carins carefully, don’t just go by where there are footsteps. In spooky gulch there is a drop of 6+ feet - look for a red rope to help. 5mi

Nov 24, 2018

Chris W

Sep 16, 2018

Carine Istas

Sep 14, 2018

Rock On

Super awesome. Not for babies, kids, or dogs.

Sep 13, 2018

Kevin Conroy

Aug 29, 2018

Carol Huston

Absolute fun! It helps to be 5’8” or more to get over the first couple obstacles climbing up into Peekaboo. Otherwise you'll need some assistance.…

Aug 8, 2018

W Drye

Jun 22, 2018

David Carr

May 3, 2018

Scott Claggett

4h 00m

Apr 29, 2018

X D

Apr 6, 2018

Eugene K

5.6mi

Mar 29, 2018

C Wilkes

Mar 2, 2018

Private User

Nov 25, 2017

Michael Bobbe

Nov 19, 2017

Brad Strathman

This was one of my most favorite slot canyon hikes in all of Utah. Go counter clockwise for the most challenging experience. LOVED it. 2.9mi

Sep 16, 2017

Lauren Ann

6mi

Jun 30, 2017

Tristan Kolb

Jun 29, 2017

Jenny Lucas

3.5mi

Jun 19, 2017

Derek Oyen

Excellent hike. So much fun. Be prepared to scramble and take lots of water.

Jun 13, 2017

Rachel Comp

Jun 3, 2017

Ela Ocipka

Amazing 2.9mi

May 29, 2017

Charlie Yoo

3mi

May 1, 2017

Tilman Giese

4.8mi — 2h 39m

Apr 30, 2017

Jay G

Aug 27, 2016

Andrew Ts

Emily and Sarah! — 13h 00m

May 26, 2016

Jonathan Kohut

early season - watch for standing water pools - bring spare socks and shoes if necessary - approach can be incredibly sandy and slopey

Apr 4, 2016

Lisa Fairley

Took the dog, took the kids, had the time of our lives! I got spooked cause of all the people going both ways into slot...maybe make one way only???

Mar 16, 2016

Jenn Daniels

Sep 17, 2015

Scott Wolff

2h 20m

May 24, 2013

Anne Travels

Up Peek-a-boo and down the choke-stone (it gets harder to navigate every year) to descend Spooky. Fun stuff! 3.5mi

Apr 13, 2013

Private User

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Peek-A-Boo & Spooky Slot Canyons

“Amazing slot canyons in the heart of Utah. ”

2.9

4.6

Lollipop

4,952' 1,509 m

4,673' 1,424 m

403' 123 m

404' 123 m

5%

24%

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Know This Trail?

Dogs Off-leash

Features Views

Overview

Need to Know

Description

Contacts

Shared By:

Trail Ratings

#1

#166

#1

#21

#166

Photos

6 Comments

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Weather

Current Trail Conditions

Check-Ins

Nearby Recommended Routes

Coyote Gulch via Red Well

Little Death Hollow to Wolverine Canyon

Upper Boulder Creek

Lower Muley Twist Canyon Loop

Boulder Mail Trail

Boulder to Highway 12 via Lower Death Hollow

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