26.2 miles down Hole in the Rock Road, a lightly maintained dirt track leading southeast into
Grand Staircase Escalante from the town of Escalante, is the Dry Fork Trailhead in Coyote Gulch.
A few miles of scrambling over slickrock marked with cairns leads to Dry Fork Wash, a tributary
of Coyote Gulch. Near the Dry Fork Narrows is the hanging slot canyon known as Peek-a-Boo.

This page displays images of Coyote Gulch, Dry Fork Wash, and Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon.

Click an image to open a larger version.
Use your back button to return to this page.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Grand Staircase Escalante Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 7 Galleries in the Photoshelter Grand Staircase Escalante Collection

Direct Link to the Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon gallery:

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon

Coyote Gulch Dry Fork Wash 1666
(689 KB)

Coyote Gulch is a slickrock area 26 miles down the Hole in the Rock Road.

Hole in the Rock Road is an occasionally maintained dirt track that penetrates the
Grand Staircase Escalante for 57 miles to the southeast from the town of Escalante.
One of few roads which enters the wilds of the Grand Staircase Escalante, it leads to
the Hole in the Rock, a narrow and very steep rocky crevice in the rim of Glen Canyon
which the Mormon Pioneers used to lower their wagons down the 1200 foot cliff to the
Colorado River. 17 miles down this washboard road is Devil’s Garden, an area with
spectacular hoodoo formations and arches, detailed on the Devil’s Garden page.
9 miles further is Dry Fork Wash of Coyote Gulch and Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon.

Dry Fork Wash Coyote Gulch 1667
(572 KB)

The entrance to the slickrock area leading to Dry Fork Wash.

Dry Fork Wash Coyote Gulch 1670
(609 KB)

The trail across the slickrock begins in the gap at left.

Dry Fork Wash Coyote Gulch 1671
(778 KB)

Entrada Sandstone slickrock, laid down on top of the Navajo Sandstone in the mid-Jurassic when the formerly dry area was periodically flooded by the sea.

Dry Fork Wash Coyote Gulch 1673
(690 KB)

Hotcake layers atop the slickrock were tilted by uplift. The trail passes over these slickrock layers, occasionally marked by cairns, leading to an overlook 300 feet above Dry Fork Wash.

Coyote Gulch Dry Fork Wash 1674
(876 KB)

Navajo Sandstone domes and cliffs in the Coyote Gulch area, and Dry Fork Wash
at the bottom of the scene. At the lower left is the entrance to the Dry Fork Narrows,
and at left center (angling up and left) is the narrow, hanging Peek-a-Boo slot canyon.

Dry Fork Wash Trail Cairn 1675
(507 KB)

A trail cairn marks the path across layered waves of slickrock.

Dry Fork Wash Landscape 1676
(685 KB)

Beyond the slickrock is a high overlook and the path down.

Coyote Gulch Dry Fork Wash 1677
(548 KB)

An overlook on the Dry Fork Trail with a view of the Coyote Gulch area,
leading to the path down to Dry Fork Wash and Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Grand Staircase Escalante Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 7 Galleries in the Photoshelter Grand Staircase Escalante Collection

Direct Link to the Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon gallery:

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon

Coyote Gulch Landscape 1744
(591 KB)

The Navajo Sandstone Domes of the Coyote Gulch landscape, taken on the way back.

Dry Fork Wash Erosion Amphitheater 1743
(1001 KB)

An erosion amphitheater on the Dry Fork Trail, just below the overlook shown previously.

Dry Fork Wash Sandstone Detail 1681
(703 KB)

Detail of sandstone swirls on the Dry Fork Trail.

Dry Fork Wash Sandstone Detail 1742
(779 KB)

Another image of sandstone swirls from the trip back.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon 1678
(703 KB)

Dry Fork Narrows (left) and the hanging slot canyon called Peek-a-Boo.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon 1680
(773 KB)

A group of climbers in the distance prepares to scale the 10 foot drop-off into Peek-a-Boo.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon 1741
(616 KB)

A look down into Peek-a-Boo from the trail above, taken on the way back.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Grand Staircase Escalante Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 7 Galleries in the Photoshelter Grand Staircase Escalante Collection

Direct Link to the Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon gallery:

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon

Dry Fork Narrows Coyote Gulch 1685
(356 KB)

Dry Fork Narrows, upstream from Peek-a-Boo, was cut by the action of rushing water during flash floods in the area.

Dry Fork Narrows Coyote Gulch 1696
(283 KB)

Runoff from as much as 50 miles away ends up here, and you do not want to be in the canyon when a flash flood hits.

Dry Fork Narrows Coyote Gulch 1698
(307 KB)

Dry Fork Narrows is at ground level, at the head of the canyon. Beyond the narrowest section is a huge sandstone dome.

Dry Fork Narrows Coyote Gulch 1703
(319 KB)

Due to the high canyon walls, little light reaches the bottom. It is darker than is shown in these pushed exposures.

Dry Fork Narrows Coyote Gulch 1701
(538 KB)

Detail of the sandstone walls of the Dry Fork Narrows of Coyote Gulch.

When a flash flood hits, water levels can rise as high as 15 feet very rapidly.
Make sure that there are no storms upstream before you enter this or any canyon.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Entrance 1706
(447 KB)

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Entrance 1707
(463 KB)

The entrance to the hanging slot canyon called Peek-a-Boo is a 10 foot slickrock wall.
The first few feet are accessed via the steps carved in the rock, then it is a scramble into the canyon.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon 1708
(365 KB)

You can probably imagine how interesting climbing the wall can be with camera gear, unroped and by yourself. Three cheers for 10 years of gymnastics training.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Arch 1710
(338 KB)

The entrance to the double arch just beyond the entrance. This arch yields the most interesting shots after you enter (turn around to see the views shown below).

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Arch 1717
(398 KB)

Pothole arches above the double arch in Peek-a-Boo slot canyon.

A pothole arch is caused by chemical weathering from above.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Arch 1718
(314 KB)

The entrance arch and one of the pothole arches from inside the cavern beyond the arch.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Arch 1719
(395 KB)

Shooting from the floor of the cavern at the top of the entrance arch and the double pothole arch.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Grand Staircase Escalante Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 7 Galleries in the Photoshelter Grand Staircase Escalante Collection

Direct Link to the Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon gallery:

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon 1722
(304 KB)

The entrance to the narrow part of Peek-a-Boo, beyond the arch.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon 1724
(238 KB)

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon 1725
(244 KB)

A 3 foot deep pothole is followed by a near vertical rock wall and then a very narrow section
accessed by a low hole, which stopped me as I was alone with camera gear. After climbing
the second wall and seeing what was beyond, I tried to convince my wife to enter the canyon
to help with the gear, but she decided to stay outside. Later, I discovered that the best of the
formations were near the entrance, and the canyon becomes shallow beyond the narrows.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Arch 1726
(321 KB)

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Arch 1727
(294 KB)

The entrance arch from the inside, below the double pothole arch.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon 1732
(310 KB)

Peek-a-Boo slot canyon from inside the entrance arch.

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Arch 1734
(326 KB)

The double pothole arch over the entrance arch in Peek-a-Boo slot canyon.

Peek-a-Boo Uvula 1737
(300 KB)

The colorfully named Uvula is near the entrance of Peek-a-Boo slot canyon.
The Palatine Uvula is the ‘punching bag’ hanging at the back of your throat.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Grand Staircase Escalante Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 7 Galleries in the Photoshelter Grand Staircase Escalante Collection

Direct Link to the Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon gallery:

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon

Fractal Composites

Sometimes, the rock formations inside a slot canyon can be used to
create kaleidoscopic fractal composites. Six of these are shown below.
Full-sized images are SXL (4288 pixels wide), previews are 1600 pixels.

Peek-a-Boo Fractal 1722
(1600 x 1135, 525 KB)

Peek-a-Boo Fractal 1724
(1600 x 1135, 396 KB)

Peek-a-Boo Fractal 1737a
(1600 x 1135, 342 KB)

I made four different composites from image 1737, each of which has a different character.

Peek-a-Boo Fractal 1737b
(1600 x 1371, 353 KB)

Peek-a-Boo Fractal 1737c
(1600 x 1135, 355 KB)

Peek-a-Boo Fractal 1737d
(1600 x 1640, 424 KB)

The full-size image of this composite is 4288 x 4288.

Images in this section are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Grand Staircase Escalante Collection where a Gallery can be selected.

There are 7 Galleries in the Photoshelter Grand Staircase Escalante Collection

Direct Link to the Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon gallery:

Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon

More Slot Canyon images and Fractal Composites can be seen on the Antelope Canyon page

Click the image above to visit the Antelope Canyon page

Click the Display Composite above to return to the Grand Staircase Escalante Index page

Click the Display Composite above to return to the Southwest Index page