blue lotus adventures

Over the years I have hiked this route many times.  This recent visit, I found that the Park Service did away with the original trailhead for this loop hike and greated two new trailheads, one from the Lower end of Dry Fork and another from the upper end of Dry Fork.  These new trailheads add 2.8 miles (Lower) or 3 miles (upper) to the total distance.

The Lower Dry Fork trailhead now has a pit toilet and plenty of parking with a well graded access road.  The trail begins past the new signage with a trail map.  Please take note of the loop direction.  The loop should be done in a clockwise direction to avoid issues in Spooky slot canyon.

Follow a well defined rim trail with great expansive views of the Scorpion Wilderness Study section of Escalante.  After about one mile the trail begins to descend the area of the original trailhead.  The trail is well marked with cairns however, it seems like too many cairns distinguishing multiple trail.  They all lead to the same point, a drainage down some slick rock and a steep sandy bench.  Once at the bottom, follow the Dry Fork a short distance until the steep wall entrance to Peek-A-Boo slot canyon.  The climb up looks worse than it is.  There are Moki steps carved into the sandstone. 

After you ascend into the canyon, follow through several potholes.  These can be filled with water depending on season and rainfall.  You then pass under a unique arch within the slot canyon.  Peek-a-boo varies in width and depth.  The tight sections are short lived and there is sections where you can easily climb out of the canyon for a different view of the slot and the surrounding area.

When you exit Peek-a-boo, you arrive at a wide wash.  The route to Spooky slot canyon crosses the desert on the right and up a hill.  It is now well marked with carins. It is about .5 miles to a point where you overlook the dry wash of Spooky Canyon.  Descend the steep sandy slope tothe obvious entrance on the right.  The rock formations in Spooky are different than in Peek-a-boo.  There is also a pile of chockstones blocking the way that can be negotiated by sliding through and down to an open area.  In the past this was a blind foot placement.  Now there is webbing and rope to hold onto to assist.

After this point the canyon gets deeper and more narrow.  There is a few difficult sections of a corkscrew formations.  This is an area that would be a problem if hikers decide to ignore the advised route and try this in a counter-clockwise direction.  The canyon becomes so narrow that you have to remove your daypack and pass through sideways.

Spooky exits into Dry Fork.  Turn left and follow to the entrance of Peek-a-boo.  Exit the loop on the same route that you followed down to Dry Fork.