Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Gulch

Welcome to the trailhead of the Dry Fork Narrows, the gateway to two of the most infamous and physically demanding slot canyons in the Grand Staircase Es-kuh-lan-tee National Monument: Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Gulch. Simply arriving…

We commence our journey by leaving the elevated parking area and plunging down the steep, sandy hillside toward the main wash. As you descend, the sheer scale of the desert environment becomes apparent. …

You are now standing at the entrance to Peek-A-Boo slot canyon, and you are immediately confronted with its most notorious gatekeeper: a smooth, nearly vertical twelve-foot rock wall. There is no ramp, no ladder, and no handrail. …

Having conquered the entrance, you are now navigating the heart of Peek-A-Boo. This canyon is often, and accurately, described as an 'adult jungle gym.' The path forward is not a simple walk; it is a dynamic, continuous puzzle of…

As the swirling walls of Peek-A-Boo gradually lower and open up, you are expelled back into the glaring exposure of the high desert. This marks the transition phase of our loop. …

We now stand at the precipice of Spooky Gulch, and the descent is immediately intimidating. Unlike the relatively bright entrance to Peek-A-Boo, Spooky looks exactly as its name implies: a dark, jagged, descending crack in the…

We have reached the psychological and physical crux of Spooky Gulch. The walls, which were already tight, now converge to an extreme degree. …

As the suffocating walls of Spooky Gulch finally, mercifully widen and spit you back out into the dry, sunlit wash, the relief is palpable. You have survived a 4.7-mile gauntlet that tests the limits of human agility,…