Description

On most Southern Utah bucket lists, you’ll find the local favorite one-two punch of Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons. These magnificent hikes, located in the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument area, can be done individually, but they make for a great loop you can tackle on a one-day adventure.

This three-mile scenic paradise of red and purple rock will give you stellar views and a new perspective of slot canyons in Southern Utah. Unlike many of the Escalante-area slot canyons, Peek-a-Boo and Spooky Gulch require zero technical gear or know-how—although it does require some rock-scrambling skill. Peek-A-Boo is a slot and corkscrew, and Spooky Gulch is a narrow slot canyon. It is worth noting, due to the restrictive nature of the some of the spaces in Spooky, this canyon is better suited for smaller body types.

Adding to the cool factor of this destination is that it’s a loop — which is rare for these parts. You could just poke into one of the canyons for an hour to see what it’s all about, but why not do both while you’re there?

People looking for a challenging excursion who are not claustrophobic will love this trip! This loop has scrambling and shuffling to make it like an adult-sized play-place. The natural waves and contours of the sandstone are awe-inspiring and perfect for pictures, while the light stemming and maneuvering are totally fun. The canyon only gets really tight in Spooky Gulch, where hikers will have to remove their backpacks to get through. At certain times there may be pools of water that you’ll have to wade through.

The drive to and from the hike go along Utah’s world famous Scenic By-Way 12 with incomparable views of sandstone deserts, mountains and canyons. We’ll stop along the way and take in the stunning views and talk about the geology and history of the area. The drive continues down 28 dirt miles of The Hole in The Rock Road to our destination.