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Slot Canyons of Dry Fork Coyote Gulch - 8 members in 13 triplogs have rated this an average 4.8 ( 1 to 5 best )
13 triplogs
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Dec 30 2023
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 Guides 12
 Routes 192
 Photos 863
 Triplogs 356

42 male
 Joined Nov 30 2015
 Phoenix, AZ
Escalante slots, UT 
Escalante slots, UT
 
Hiking avatar Dec 30 2023
ShatteredArmTriplogs 356
Hiking17.25 Miles 1,400 AEG
Hiking17.25 Miles   6 Hrs   30 Mns   3.14 mph
1,400 ft AEG   1 Hour    Break
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Full day in Escalante area - originally had Coyote Gulch pegged, but figured it would be a far less than idea time of year to do a water hike, so I decided to hit the Dry Fork slots and start working my way back towards town. Started at the upper trailhead, jogged down to Dry Fork. The main Dry Fork slot was OK-ish. Originally planned on starting up Peek-a-boo, but after a couple of annoyingly difficult scrambles, I decided it would be better done top-to-bottom, so I decided to start heading down towards Brimstone.

There was another short slot in Dry Fork past the turnoff to Spooky, which I thought looked more impressive than the main Dry Fork narrows. Shortly before the turn up Brimstone Gulch, I encountered an older Japanese guy just wandering around, I told him I was heading to Brimstone and he said he wanted to come along. OK, this would probably slow me down a bit, but it's fine. After what seemed like a mile, got to the Brimstone slot, which was actually quite tall and narrow, and IMO the prettiest of the slots in the Dry Fork area. Eventually it was just a few inches wall-to-wall, preventing further travel (and it was getting hard to see).

So, turned around and started heading back up to Spooky, which was next. Spooky also got super narrow, and I had to take off my hydration pack and go sideways for some stretches. This one was just really fun to go through.

Then, over to Peek-a-boo, which was pretty short in comparison, and the most interesting part was the lower stretch that I had already seen. Somewhere in here I dropped the Japanese dude, who I think hung back with the couple I had seen in the parking lot. Then hiked back out, for a total of 10 miles or so, which was more than anticipated.

Headed back up the road and stopped at Devil's Garden, which I had to myself, for a quick beverage and walkabout.

Then found the TH for Zebra and Tunnel, which is obvious but unmarked. After the first mile or so, Halfway Hollow started getting pretty scenic. Then on the way up the Zebra wash, I picked up my second hanger-on of the day. Got to a point in Zebra where I'd have to get a little creative to make further progress, so turned around (I think one could go 50-100 feet farther though). Headed up the crossover to Tunnel, and hanger-on was still following. He didn't seem to have any clue where he was going, so I had to keep him in sight. Really liked the traverse over the slickrock and down into the canyon. The slot itself is very short, but unique. And there was knee-deep frigid water, fun.

On the way back, made sure the hanger-on made it as far as Halfway Hollow, and figured my responsibility ended at that point, so was able to jog a little of the way back up.

Overall, really fun day, and a good introduction to the area, which I definitely now have near the top of my list of places to return to soon.
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May 29 2023
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 Guides 2
 Routes 127
 Photos 1,478
 Triplogs 129

male
 Joined May 07 2019
 Tempe, AZ
Slot Canyon Trifecta, UT 
Slot Canyon Trifecta, UT
 
Hiking avatar May 29 2023
mikemcgTriplogs 129
Hiking6.01 Miles 609 AEG
Hiking6.01 Miles   3 Hrs   46 Mns   2.03 mph
609 ft AEG      48 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
We began at the Peekaboo/Spooky Slot Canyon Trailhead and traversed the 3 slot canyons in a double loop. There's a 28 mile drive on a very bumpy dirt road to reach it (high clearance not required).

The adventure begins with a one mile walk along the ledge overlooking the main canyon, then an easy climb down to the canyon floor, then a half mile walk along the canyon floor. At this point, there is a central area where hikers can go in multiple directions to access each of the slot canyons.

We started with Peekaboo Canyon. There is a 15 foot vertical climb up into Peekaboo canyon, which was easy due to numerous hand and footholds. (Those who were 5'4" and under needed a boost.)

Peekaboo was my favorite part. It is incredibly beautiful, with remarkable sandstone shapes and curves. It's also really fun, with quite a bit of climbing, wiggling between structures, and ducking through holes. Definitely felt like a parkour course. We took numerous pictures and videos.

After we exited Peekaboo, there was a 0.4 mile walk on a well-defined sand trail to reach the entrance to Spooky Canyon. There is also a side trail to bypass Spooky Canyon for those who are claustrophobic.

Spooky Canyon is fascinating, but much less fun. Much of it is extremely narrow (16 inches wide in some spots), and there are some very tight sharp turns that are tricky to squeeze through. It's also easy to get a foot caught in a small space and break an ankle. Fortunately, we all had strong ankles. There is also an 8 foot drop between some large rocks which looked more dangerous than it was. At one point, we encountered 2 people who were traveling the opposite direction, and they had to retreat to a wider space where we could pass each other. It was a relief when we reached the end of Spooky Canyon and had a little space to breathe.

Next there was a half mile trail, mostly sand, to loop back to the central area. Finally we entered and explored Dry Fork Canyon, which is also beautiful, but easy to traverse, with a wider space, flat ground, and no climbing. There were more people in this one. Near the end of Dry Fork Canyon, there is an area, marked with cairns, where we climbed out (8 foot climb, easy footholds/handholds) and looped back to the trailhead. At this point, we noticed that we could see the entrance to Peekaboo canyon from the top.

Overall, the views and experiences are incredible and very memorable. Definitely will do again someday.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Peek-a-boo Canyon  Spooky Gulch
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Moderate
  7 archives
Apr 29 2022
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 Guides 3
 Routes 632
 Photos 8,235
 Triplogs 604

54 male
 Joined Apr 13 2011
 Gilbert, AZ
Slot Canyons of Dry Fork Coyote GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Canyoneering avatar Apr 29 2022
ddgrunningTriplogs 604
Canyoneering6.17 Miles 872 AEG
Canyoneering6.17 Miles   3 Hrs   1 Min   2.15 mph
872 ft AEG      9 Mns Break
 
1st trip
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Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
The afternoon before our Coyote Gulch hike, we decided to hit up Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyons. These are a popular destination in the area. They have moved the trailhead from where it was previously and added bathrooms and a large parking area (with overflow about a quarter mile back). There were several cars at the TH.

The most interesting improvement is a narrow metal "gate" with signage that warns if you can't get through this, don't go into Spooky Slot, as you might get stuck and need rescue. I'm sure it's a sign that was the product of some sad past experience.

Luckily, all of our group made it through the gate (though it was a closer call for some : wink : ).

The location of the TH made for a long-ish approach to the slots. It's along a rim area, and relatively flat till you drop down to the floor of the canyon.

We went up Peekaboo first. Wow. So cool. Several mini-arches and some fun obstacles.

After exiting the top of Peekaboo, we traveled back down to the start from above and observed some of our companions making their way through below.

Next, we headed over to Spooky. This one indeed has several narrow spots--mandatory sideways scoot without your pack, and dragging my wide-brimmed hat on both sides. Lots of fun. Near the upper end was a rock jam at which some rope was placed. Not strictly necessary, but helpful.

On the way back out, I ventured briefly up Dry Fork Slot. It was not as narrow at the mouth, but still very cool. Will plan to explore this further next time!

The hike out was fine, and the sun setting on the benches of the Gulch made for some nice views.

After piling in our cars, we headed west from the TH a couple of miles and set up our camp for the evening.

An excellent hike!
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Coyote Gulch
 Meteorology
 Meteorology [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Sunset
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  1 archive
Jun 18 2021
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 Routes 175
 Photos 2,335
 Triplogs 191

44 female
 Joined Jan 21 2019
 Pine, AZ
Slot Canyons of Dry Fork Coyote GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Canyoneering avatar Jun 18 2021
jillyonanadventureTriplogs 191
Canyoneering4.67 Miles 218 AEG
Canyoneering4.67 Miles   4 Hrs   21 Mns   2.09 mph
218 ft AEG   2 Hrs   7 Mns Break
 
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brainz94
Bsolaz
jaja_marie
klfranz
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
We did the dry fork peekaboo spooky loop! You start on a sandy, exposed trail before heading through dry fork narrows. After exiting, head over to your left where you see what looks like a wall; that is the entry to peekaboo! You need to be able to climb up about 15 feet to enter the slot. There are some really cool arches right when you first enter. We loved the teamwork in getting everyone through the slot. After exiting peekaboo there was about a mile in sand to enter spooky slot. Spooky was a BLAST! Super narrow, fun obstacles including a large drop with a rope assist.
Once you exit, the hike out is exposed and HOT, uphill in sand. Cooling towels, salt tabs and shade breaks very necessary. (106 degrees on our exit).

Note: the forest service maps advise all parties to start at peekaboo. There were some parties that did not get the memo and were heading the wrong direction which inconveniences all hikers. Please don’t do that.

Road: I saw a lot of warnings about the road being bad. Honestly, it’s one of the nicest roads I’ve driven, lol! Just a bit washboardy but 4WD definitely not needed.

We absolutely loved both slots but all favored spooky due to the technical teamwork challenges!
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Restless between adventures...
 
Oct 04 2020
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 Guides 17
 Routes 297
 Photos 1,808
 Triplogs 276

female
 Joined Mar 11 2002
 Gilbert, AZ
Peek-a-boo GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Hiking avatar Oct 04 2020
VashtiTriplogs 276
Hiking4.72 Miles 857 AEG
Hiking4.72 Miles   3 Hrs   13 Mns   2.04 mph
857 ft AEG      54 Mns Break
 
no photosets
1st trip
Partners none no partners
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This was a fantastic hike! We really enjoyed it. I took my kids, and my youngest was a bit scared at the first climb up at peek-a-boo (about 20 feet). But we gave him a little boost, and he was fine. There are some footholds carved into the upclimb, which is helpful. We enjoyed the beautiful colors and the peek-a-boo arches. So fun and easy! And DRY! Unlike Zebra and tunnel slots that we visited a few days before!! We went through peekaboo, up, out, and across over to the back opening of Spooky. Spooky is much narrower than peekaboo, for an extended period of time, which I didn't mind, but my kids didn't love, surprisingly. The colors are not as pretty, but I still enjoyed it. There were a few obstacles, but there were ropes in place, and nothing was too difficult. 2 adults with 3 kids, we managed to get everyone through okay. I would think if you are thick in the middle, this slot would not be as enjoyable! :O

I wonder, based on the gps routes I downloaded for this hike, if the trailhead moved further away. The trailhead I went to was brand new and beautiful with a fancy sign and new vault toilets. As a Result, the hike was longer than posted. It posed no issues for adults, but the kids complained at the extra mile or so. It's an easy level hike from the trail head to the cairn marking the descent down to the canyon floor. One thing that is neat is that you can see both peekaboo and Spooky from above from the trail, so that was super cool. You can see people coming and going into the canyons.

The connector trail between peekaboo and spooky is sandy, but easy to follow. The connector isn't long, and soon there is a big sandy hill that descends down to spooky.

I wish we could have also visited nearby brimstone, but unfortunately time did not allow. I would definitely go back, do peekaboo, spooky, and brimstone! :)

So much fun!!
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May 24 2018
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 Guides 3
 Routes 25
 Photos 2,216
 Triplogs 237

63 male
 Joined Apr 22 2012
 Fountain Hills,
Slot Canyons of Dry Fork Coyote GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Canyoneering avatar May 24 2018
KBKBTriplogs 237
Canyoneering3.44 Miles 423 AEG
Canyoneering3.44 Miles   3 Hrs      1.38 mph
423 ft AEG      30 Mns Break20 LBS Pack
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
I had wanted to do Peek-A-Boo and Spooky last year, but didn't want to chance getting our car stuck in the sand on the Hole in the Rock road. This year we brought our truck which had no problem at all with this road, nor (even) with the final high clearance section before the trailhead.

As we hiked down to the Gulch, it occurred to me that the steep(ish) approach might weed out folks who don't belong here.

Anyway, we got down to the bottom and almost immediately met another party who were looking for the entrance to Peekaboo. I think they had walked right by it - there's a steepish scramble at the beginning. With the right shoes and the right technique, this scramble isn't too difficult - my daughter made it look downright easy. There were several other interesting scrambles as we made our way up the canyon, but none of these were especially hard either. We all enjoyed Peekaboo.

Exiting Peekaboo, we started following cairns over to Spooky. But after checking the route that I had loaded onto my watch, it appeared that the cairns were actually leading us back to the main gulch. So we backtracked, found another set of cairns, and eventually got into the top of Spooky. The top isn't especially narrow (or spooky). My wife enjoyed this part of it.

We eventually got to an interesting down-climb with which my wife had some trouble. My daughter again made it look easy.

The way narrowed as we made our way further down Spooky. After a time, it became very tight. I had brought along a bulky pack - all of my packs are bulky - and carried it by the handle at my side. The way was so tight that I sometimes had trouble reversing the direction of my feet. My wife definitely did not like this section. My daughter thought it was okay, but this tight (and spooky) section wasn't her favorite either.

If I were to do Spooky again, I'd start at the bottom and drop my pack just before it gets narrow, doing it as an out-and-back without a pack. That said, I'm not sure that really tight slot canyons are my thing - I think I have a touch of claustrophobia.
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May 24 2015
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 Guides 3
 Routes 569
 Photos 11,976
 Triplogs 1,634

50 female
 Joined Sep 18 2009
 Tucson, AZ
Slot Canyons of Dry Fork Coyote GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Canyoneering avatar May 24 2015
GrottoGirlTriplogs 1,634
Canyoneering8.86 Miles 632 AEG
Canyoneering8.86 Miles   5 Hrs   55 Mns   2.11 mph
632 ft AEG   1 Hour   43 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Partners partners
BiFrost
RedwallNHops
slowandsteady
We awoke to a day that seemed like it might possibly be slot canyon worthy. So, off we went to the Dry Fork Trailhead. We spoke to the ranger, who thought my plan seemed ambitious, guess he didn't know who we were :o Based on his response it meant we had to accomplish our goal! Although we kept his warning about how a drizzle had caused issues for a boyscout group in Brimstone not too many year ago.

We started off with all the tourists and then branched off and checked out Dry Fork which has a nice beginner slot canyon feel to it. Only a couple small moves were required and we had checked it off the list pretty quickly.

We proceeded to Peek-a-boo's entrance which we all agreed seemed harder then we imagined since it is often considered a family canyon. We watched one Dad drag his family up the short entrance climb. While we watched, we got nervous because we hoped we would execute the climb better than they did since we were accustomed to climbing. After a few seconds we realized we could do it using some caving friction techniques and we were able to scramble up and assist the rest of our group.

Peek-a-boo is one fun canyon! You can do a variety of moves to get through it. We did have one pool to cross, yet somehow Josh executed a move that is likely unrepeatable where he calculated a jump/grab/touchdown flawlessly. The rest of us choose to play it safe and went though the knee deep pool. We had a lot of fun coaching Kathy through some of the sections - canyoneering isn't her normal activity (she seems to prefer those 30 mile stretches of the AZT no matter how high the AEG!).

We continued on and suddenly Joel was saying hi to someone. He spotted one of my coworkers from a previous company! We were so excited to run into someone we knew in the middle of nowhere! We departed with hugs and continued on since they had done the loop in the opposite direction.

Soon we were done with Peak-a-boo and it was time to cross over to Spooky. We made quick work of the cross over trail and soon we were descending into Spooky which is a tighter canyon. Most people have to remove their packs but for the most part I kept mine on unless I had to do a big downclimb. I had brought my REI Flash pack which is pretty low profile and thus perfect for this trip. Unfortunately, we encountered several parties going up Spooky which meant we had to get out of the way. I was happy to stem up and then sit positioned above everyone as they passed me. Soon we were done with Spooky and I was really glad we hadn't just done the typical tourist agenda and had more exploring to do.

We ate our lunch and then continued toward Brimstone and Little Canyon. We decided to overshoot Brimstone and go to Dry Canyon first. After a false start we got going up Dry Canyon until it narrowed down to the point that Josh nearly got stuck. He's an excellent caver and we knew he'd turn around just at the right point. Not all of the team could go with us to that tight of a squeeze. Joel and I nearly made it as far as Josh. One the way down we were able to go the way of the false start - an impossible upclimb. Josh squeezed through a tight twist and then dropped into a dry pothole. From there he partner captured those of us who wanted to try the nearly impossible looking drop.

After Dry Canyon we continued to Brimstone. We spotted a sand dune along the way and Karl, Josh, and I played on it. Karl figured out the plunge step and I managed a modified slide on my pumpkin.

Soon we were in the slot of Brimstone. We continued until we met a pool. First Josh tried it and ended up stemming above to a wide spot he couldn't navigate without getting in the water. Then I tried and choose to go in the water until it was almost up to my chest, then once it seemed like the bottom might drop up I started to stem but didn't get much farther than Josh due to the widening. Karl came in but the thought of the water penetrating his chest pockets were he was keeping his camera and other important stuff caused him to turn around. I would have swam it but not without a partner or a wetsuit, so we turned around. We still had a fabulous time!

We hiked out and returned to camp to celebrate Joel's birthday which was the next day!
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May 24 2015
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 Guides 1
 Routes 269
 Photos 613
 Triplogs 1,360

50 male
 Joined Dec 22 2003
 Tucson, AZ
Slot Canyons of Dry Fork Coyote GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Canyoneering avatar May 24 2015
RedwallNHopsTriplogs 1,360
Canyoneering8.86 Miles 632 AEG
Canyoneering8.86 Miles   5 Hrs   55 Mns   2.11 mph
632 ft AEG   1 Hour   43 Mns Break
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Partners partners
BiFrost
GrottoGirl
slowandsteady
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May 24 2015
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 Guides 4
 Routes 491
 Photos 10,890
 Triplogs 1,257

55 male
 Joined Nov 20 2012
 Phoenix, AZ
Peek-a-Boo - Spooky - Brimstone Slot Canyons, UT 
Peek-a-Boo - Spooky - Brimstone Slot Canyons, UT
 
Hiking avatar May 24 2015
BiFrostTriplogs 1,257
Hiking9.00 Miles 763 AEG
Hiking9.00 Miles   7 Hrs   15 Mns   1.24 mph
763 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Partners partners
GrottoGirl
RedwallNHops
slowandsteady
Sunday was reserved for the tourist portion of our trip. After seeing no one on Saturday at Red Breaks this day would be totally different exploring Peek-a-boo, Spooky, Brimstone, Dry Fork, and Little Canyons. First up we did short section of Dry Fork narrows before backtracking to Peek-a-boo. Right at the started we encountered two groups trying to make the initial climb into Peek-a-boo so we had to wait 10 or 15 minutes. Eventually we made it into the slot and headed up through the canyon. It's a short hike making the end and the trail access over to Spooky. Then dropped into Spooky and headed down canyon which is more narrow than Peek-a-boo. Half way through we encountered a few groups in the narrow part going the other direction so had to back up, stem, or find creative ways to pass each other. Very nice slot despite all the traffic and made the end quickly.

Before heading over to Brimstone we hit a more obscure slot called Little. It was very short but had some water and rock obstacles that made this side trip worthwhile. One climb in particular provided some fun for the group negotiating a slide and drop maneuver that made for some great pics.

Next up Brimstone which in my opinion is the best of the three canyons and also the least accessible. It's an extra 1.5 mile hike one way which deters many of the tourists. The hike into Brimstone is interesting on it's own with wide sweeping sandy turns in the wash, high sandstone walls, and large sculpted sand dunes. Once at the entrance Brimstone narrows and darkens quickly. It's deeper and longer than the other canyons and is also an out and back with the slot becoming so narrow you are forced to turn around. However, unfortunately on this day we were forced to turn around sooner because of chest high ice cold water about 1/3 of the way up canyon. We tried stemming, wading, and any possible way to get around the water obstacle but it was too deep and continued out of sight for at least 100 feet. Disappointed we headed back although it was still cool to see part of the slot. We didn't see anyone on the Brimstone hike in contrast to the multiple groups on the other slot canyons. Made it back to the parking lot which was now full and enjoyed a beverage before heading back to the car camp spot.
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May 24 2015
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 Routes 67
 Photos 966
 Triplogs 694

51 female
 Joined Jan 05 2012
 Phoenix,AZ
Peek-a-Boo - Spooky - Brimstone Slot Canyons, UT 
Peek-a-Boo - Spooky - Brimstone Slot Canyons, UT
 
Hiking avatar May 24 2015
slowandsteadyTriplogs 694
Hiking9.00 Miles 763 AEG
Hiking9.00 Miles   7 Hrs   15 Mns   1.24 mph
763 ft AEG
 no routes
1st trip
Partners partners
BiFrost
GrottoGirl
RedwallNHops
An awesome day of playing in the slot canyons. I was lucky to have experienced canyoneers to help tell me some tricks and to help push and pull and get me through.
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Mar 23 2015
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 Guides 7
 Routes 72
 Photos 14,456
 Triplogs 627

62 female
 Joined Aug 19 2011
 Scottsdale, AZ
Slot Canyons of Dry Fork Coyote GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Canyoneering avatar Mar 23 2015
outdoor_loverTriplogs 627
Canyoneering4.50 Miles 546 AEG
Canyoneering4.50 Miles
546 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
II - Normally requires a half day
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
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Have I ever Mentioned that I Love Canyons????? :D

Time for some Slot Canyons... :y: This Hike was a 3 for the Price of 1...A Real Bargain in Canyoneering :sweat:
I did 6 Slot Canyons in 3 Days, and 3 of them were on this Day...

When I got to the TH, I got the last Parking Spot... :o Pretty busy for a Weekday in the middle of Nowhere... :sweat: Got down to Dry Fork, went to the Entrance of Peek-a-boo, saw a Line of People waiting to get up in there and decided to start with Spooky on this Loop... :sweat:

In the Dry Fork Coyote Gulch Description, it states that if you can do Spooky without a Pack, do it...That Description nails this down...Even with a Butt Pack, I ended carrying it almost the whole way...You literally do this Canyon sideways for 75% of it's Length...Think Fat Man's Pass stretched out for about 1 Mile... :lol: This Canyon is seriously not for people with Claustrophobia...And unfortunately, this Canyon is not One-Way, so I was meeting people coming down...Luckily, there were a few Areas that were Wide Enough for people to squeak by each other...One Chockstone towards the End initially looked intimidating, but after taking a good look, it went pretty easy...And then I was out and heading up and around to descend down Peek-a-boo...

Peek-a-boo from the Top, Down, was interesting...It started to Slot up right away, but then widened back out and didn't go deep until almost the End...The Bottom 300 Feet of this Canyon is absolutely Amazing...I'll let the Photos detail that a bit...There were also Potholes very close to the Bottom and they had a bit of Water in them...With a Slide, a Slip, a slight Gyration over the Water and an Instantaneous, Unplanned Leg Split, I somehow stayed Dry on the First Pothole. The Second was just a little Ledge Walking with a BIG Step to avoid the Water and seemed much easier in Comparison....A little Downclimbing to get out of the Slot, which was fun too... :D

Took a Break in Dry Fork and then headed up the Narrows of it...Went up it until it started to really widen out and then turned around and came back...Those Narrows felt like a Superhighway compared to Peek-a-boo and Spooky... :)

Hiked back up the Hill and back to the Vehicle...I spent enough time down there that 75% of the Parking Lot was now Empty... 8)

What else can I say...Another Awesome Day in Utah... :) And another Huge Photoset.... :sl:

water 1 out of 5water less than maxwater less than maxwater less than max Peek-a-boo Canyon Pools to trickle Pools to trickle
Calf Deep Pools in the Potholes at the Bottom...
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Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!"
 
Jun 15 2013
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 Guides 177
 Routes 249
 Photos 10,213
 Triplogs 2,215

74 male
 Joined Feb 12 2002
 Gold Canyon, AZ
Peek-a-boo GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Canyoneering avatar Jun 15 2013
AZLOT69Triplogs 2,215
Canyoneering8.00 Miles 1,275 AEG
Canyoneering8.00 Miles
1,275 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
II - Normally requires a half day
 
1st trip
Partners none no partners
Incredible. Pictures speak a thousand words.
_____________________
It's best for a man to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open his mouth and remove all doubt.
--Mark Twain
 
May 30 2012
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 Guides 14
 Photos 720
 Triplogs 187

66 female
 Joined May 21 2003
 Apache Junction,
Slot Canyons of Dry Fork Coyote GulchSouthwest, UT
Southwest, UT
Canyoneering avatar May 30 2012
TrishnessTriplogs 187
Canyoneering4.50 Miles 300 AEG
Canyoneering4.50 Miles
300 ft AEG
Canyon Hiking - Non-technical; no rope; easy scrambling; occasional hand use
A - Dry or little water; shallow or avoidable water; no wet/dry suit
II - Normally requires a half day
 no routesno photosets
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners partners
Paintninaz
WHERE IN THE HOLE ARE WE?????

This is the trip that epitomizes "getting there is half the fun". I've been wanting to check out these slot canyons the last three trips I did to the Grand-Staircase Escalante area since 2007 and this time I got there. It is a long 26.1 mile trip down Hole-in-the-Rock Road to the well signed Dry Fork turnoff and is done easily in any high clearance vehicle although I would not want to be on this road after or during a rain storm. The road is very washboardy and we heard my cast iron skillets rattle the entire 26.1 miles. After the Dry Fork turnoff there is an additional 1.7 mile drive to the TH and some of this road is very sandy with one nice BIG rock shelf to navigate. I had no problem doing this in the X-Terra and I did see some passenger cars at the TH (must have been rental cars)

THE HIKE: We met some very cool people on this hike.....an elderly couple Bud & Linda from Sedona and Doug & Eva with their 12 y/o daughter Gwen from Atlanta. It's an immediate drop into the canyon over slickrock and down through fine sand. I noted this for the return trip back up (sucky part #1 and sucky part #2). Once in the canyon bottom, we easily found Peekaboo along the wash. We went over to it and I found that the carved foot holds are too high for my short legs and very slippery as it is well worn slickrock. I can't get up this!!!! :x Tracy is bit taller than me and has rock climbed so she managed to scramble up it and I decided that I would take the trail up the left side and try to drop in from the top/back side. Bud & Linda are also looking for a way into Peekaboo so the 3 of us trek off together. We get to the top and I try to drop in from above but again it is very smooth and slippery slickrock with a significant drop into the slot. I'm sure I can do it and then look at my new trail companions and think they will try to follow me so I tell them I'm not attempting it from above either. BUMMER. So we trekked back down the hill. Bud & Linda decide to hike out and I head on to Spooky looking for Tracy. I hike about 1/4 mile up the wash and just past a large sand dune head on a trail which eventually leads me to Spooky......no sign of Tracy but then I see her heading up the trail. She said Peekaboo was very slippery sandstone and convoluted so it was a lot of maneuvering. We head into Spooky. Bud had told me that Spooky was very narrow and I might have problems "no offense but your breasts will probably get in the way"....he was trying really hard not to insult me and I wasn't offended at all and just laughed it off. Once we started into Spooky I got quite a way back and dropped my pack.....then started to squeeze myself past the narrow section but eventually knew I can't go in farther. The quote of the day came from 12 y/o Gwen who said to her mother Eva who was waiting at the slot canyon entrance....."Mom, even Ms. Trish with her big boobies got really far into that slot, you can do it too!" We all had a good laugh. :sl:

We then had spent better than 3 hours in the canyon and decided to hike out. Eva, Doug and Gwen were heading on down Dry Fork, Tracy and I hiked out. Sucky part #1 as noted on the hike in was going up a steep incline in very fine sand. Sucky part #2 was the steep part on the slickrock.

Even though I was unable to even get into Peekaboo and could only get 3/4 of the way down Spooky this was a fun day! The canyon was beautiful and I'd love to return to the area to hike....maybe not narrow slots but to hike open trails.
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Trish-Kabob

"May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds" Ed Abbey
 
average hiking speed 1.82 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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