Peek-A-Boo Gulch, Spooky Gulch, Brimstone Gulch, and Dry Fork Narrows

Located along Hole in the Rock Road just southeast of Escalante, Utah, are some of the finest slot canyons in the world. Peek-A-Boo, Spooky, and Brimstone gulches, are just three of the dozens found off of Hole in the Rock Road. These slot canyons started as mere cracks and fissures in the sandstone, but over time, flash floods ripped into the cracks, creating the amazing and serpentine slot canyons that we now enjoy. These three slot canyons are nicely lined up in a neat row, which allows the hiking enthusiast to hike through all three in one afternoon.

Hike Details

Distance – 4.8 miles round trip
Approximate hiking time – 3 to 4 hours
Elevation at the trailhead – 4960 feet
Elevation at Peek-A-Boo Gulch – 4720 feet
Elevation at Spooky Gulch – 4640 feet
Elevation at Brimstone Gulch – 4580 feet
Elevation gain – 380 feet
Difficulty – Moderate, extremely confined spaces, if claustrophobic best to avoid.
Trail – sand
Amount of water recommended – 2-3 liters
Bathrooms – None
Season to hike – can be hiked all year long, avoid during July through August due to extreme heat and flash floods
Permits – None needed

How to get there:

From Escalante, Utah, take the main road, Highway 12, east through Escalante. The road will head in a southeastern direction. Follow Hwy 12 for five miles, and as the highway makes a left curve, the unpaved Hole in the Rock Road will be on the right side of the road. If you were to go straight instead of take the curve that would turn into Hole in the Rock Road. From Torrey, UT, head south on Hwy 12 for nearly 60 miles. There should be a sign after a curve to the right that says Hole in the Rock Road. Turn left off of Hwy 12 here. From the turnoff onto Hole in the Rock Road would be a good spot to reset your trip odometer to 0. From here you will head southeast on the unpaved Hole in the Rock Road for 26 miles (42 km). Turn left onto an unmarked dirt road. This will take you 1.7 miles to the trailhead. It is passable for passenger vehicles just take care not to go too fast for ruts can be common. The dirt road starts heading east and after about 0.7 miles it forks. Stay to the left. The left fork then heads in a northwest direction for one mile, which will end at parking area which can fit about 12-15 cars.

Hitting the Trail!

One of the things that you must know is that these are some of the tightest slot canyons you’ll find, especially Spooky and Brimstone Gulch. I am 6’1, 175lbs, and it was a VERY tight squeeze for me in some parts. In some places the slot canyon is less than 18 inches wide.

This is the view from the trailhead. The trail is clearly marked along the way

The trailhead is just north of the parking area, and it overlooks much of the trail you’ll take down into the Dry Fork Coyote Gulch which accesses all three slot canyons, and also Dry Fork Narrows. Dry Fork Coyote Gulch runs generally runs southeast, which runs from left to right as you look out above from the parking area. Peek-A-Boo, Spooky, and Brimstone Gulches run on the north side of Dry Fork Coyote Gulch. As you follow the trail down from the trailhead, the path will be marked with cairns as you cross over the slickrock and sand, and after about 20 minutes of easy downhill walking you’ll find yourself down in the Dry Fork Coyote wash.

The narrows of Dry Fork

Look off to the left, and you’ll see the entrance of Dry Fork Narrows. Of all the slot canyons described in this post, Dry Fork Narrows is the widest, and is quite long, however, I find it as the least amazing of the four slot canyons. With that being said, I would still recommend spending some time exploring it if you have the time. I would do it first since the rest of the slots will make it pale in comparison.

Two natural bridges found in Peek-A-Boo Gulch

From the bottom of wash, as mentioned before, you’ll see the Dry Fork Narrows entrance to the left, and if you head right, (east) Peek-A-Boo Gulch is about 100 yards down the wash on north side. You’ll know that you’re at the beginning of Peek-A-Boo by seeing foot holds carved into sandstone that aids in climbing a 20 foot wall to reach the slot. It sounds harder than it is, and is even easier if you have someone to give you a boost. Many times, especially after a rain, there can be a pool of water in front of the entrance. When the sandstone is wet and muddy, it make climbing up more challenging. Upon climbing into Peek-A-Boo, you will come across to small potholes that I’ve found filled with water each time I’ve gone. I don’t know how deep they are, but the water in them looks stagnant and a little gross, so don’t fall in. The slot isn’t necessarily all that deep, but you’ll see some amazing rock formations of two natural bridges while in Peek-A-Boo. As you continue in farther into the slot, the walls will tighten up to the point that you will leave the slot and continue down the the walls will become more shallow and you’ll find that you’ll exit the slot, walk along the top of Peek-A-Boo, and then drop back into the slot until it ends in a sandy wash. When you get to the end of the slot you have a couple of options, 1) you can proceed east across the desert for about 10 minutes and find Spooky Gulch, or 2) go back through Peek-A-Boo Gulch to its entrance and head left (east) down Dry Fork Coyote Gulch for about 15 minutes. I would recommend up each slot and then coming back down each slot. It’s more fun that way, you’ll notice new things you didn’t see the first time.

As mentioned, you’ll follow the contours of the wash for about 15 minutes then head left (north) for 100 feet, and you’ll see the entrance. You may also follow the footprints in the sand to the mouth of Spooky as well. I would recommend leaving you backpacks outside of Spooky Gulch because it is that tight of a squeeze. The canyon walls in Spooky Gulch are amazing! Each new bend in the slot canyon makes for new colors and textures. It was my favorite slot of the three, and I encourage you to hike to the end of the slot, where there is a rockfall that blocks further progress for most people. From this point, just turn around and return the way you came, and enjoy Spooky Gulch some more!

This is the entrance to Spooky Gulch

The slot is extremely tight, and I found that it is wider along the bottom of the slot to squeeze through if you have problems. Take a minute to appreciate the power of water, as it has carved all the amazing swirls and bends of this magnificent slot canyon. Remember that these are narrow slot canyons, and if there is any sign of rain, stay out. That’s how these formed in the first place. In both Spooky Gulch and later in Brimstone Gulch, debris wedged 20 feet above my head could be seen, left behind by a previous flash flood.

Spooky Gulch is one of the narrowest slots around

The author enjoying Spooky Gulch

After enjoying both Peek-A-Boo and Spooky, you can decide to head farther down the Dry Fork Coyote Gulch to Brimstone, or retrace your steps back to the trailhead. If you decide to continue down to Brimstone Gulch it will be about a 30 minute walk from Spooky Gulch. It’s a sandy walk through the wash. Shortly after heading to Brimstone, Dry Fork Coyote Gulch will slot up and you’ll need to navigate around a choke stone. After passing the narrow part of the slot on the way to Brimstone Gulch, the sand gets pretty deep and makes the going slow. After about 5 minutes you’ll come to a wash that comes from the left (north), with a large stone at the mouth of the wash. That wash to the left takes you to Brimstone Gulch. At this point you are two miles from the parking area and it is about 10-15 minute walk to the entrance of Brimstone Gulch.

Brimstone Gulch may be one of the darkest slots you’ll find. This is right at the entrance

Brimstone Gulch is one of the darkest slots found in the Escalante area. When I hiked through Brimstone is was about 90 degrees outside, however, once inside the slot canyon, temperatures dropped into the the upper 40’s, and was extremely dark and wet. It is very narrow as well, so narrow in fact, that there will be times that it will be only 8 inches wide, and you’ll either need to turn around or chimney up out of the slot, walk along on top until it is wide enough to chimney back down into Brimstone. There is a story of a photographer that entered into Brimstone by himself on a weekend and got stuck in the slot, and he wasn’t found until the next weekend by a couple of hikers. He was alive, but very dehydrated and cold. So, don’t get stuck! You could be there for a while. If you think you may get stuck, don’t risk it. Turn around and head out. I couldn’t get very far into the Brimstone before I was wading through cold water and the walls were about 10 inches apart. I would recommend a headlamp as well, because even though it’s 11am, it may be nearly pitch black deeper in Brimstone. Once you leave the slot, it’s about a 2.6 mile hike from the narrow part of Brimstone back to the trailhead at the parking lot.

There are dozens of other slot canyons and amazing rock formations, so if you have the time, I would recommend spending a couple of days down there at least. While you won’t see everything, you will have made a good start.

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