Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
May 19, 2017

Twenty-six miles down Hole-in-the-Rock Road from the town of Escalante, deep in the heart of the vast 1.6 million acre Grand Staircase-Esclante National Monument, lie Peekaboo Gulch Slot Canyon and Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon in the Dry Fork area. These have become some of the more well-known slot canyons due to both their natural beauty as well as super easy accessibility. Both are only about a half mile from the parking lot, are relatively short hikes, and don’t require any technical rock climbing or canyoneering skills. These are usually done in a loop and easily combined with two other canyons in the area – Brimstone and the Dry Fork Narrows.

Almost immediately upon entering Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon, the walls close in and the light gets low – It’s known as one of the thinnest, darkest, and therefore “spookiest” slot canyons in Utah. Spooky is deeper than Peek-A-Boo, but still just as spectacularly colorful and vibrant with deep orange, pink, and violet hues.

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon Utah

*Note: When combined with the Peekaboo loop, many people begin Spooky Gulch Slot Canyon from the top-down, which requires a down-climb on a Class 3 scramble. We opted to go from the bottom-up and leave my big-ass backpack at the start since there’s no way I could have brought it through the canyon with me. We simply turned around and went back out the bottom when we got to the climb. If you have a backpack or don’t want to scramble, definitely go from the bottom-up. ALSO, do not do this if you’re claustrophobic and know your limitations – to put it gently, I saw some larger-girthed people almost get stuck between the narrow walls…*

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