Red Canyon (aka Peek-a-Boo Canyon)

A thrilling adventure of 4-wheeling on deep sand through a desert landscape of junipers, pinions, yuccas and cacti before reaching a slender passage that will tantalize photographer and hiker alike with a visual array of warm reds, cool browns and hot oranges in rippled and fluted sandstone. Southern Utah has its share of unique desert scapes, but the land here offers something different too - slot canyons. Abundant, yet hidden gems, that start out as small cracks in the earth that, overtime water has forced to become deep and narrow sandstone slots. The beauty of these dimly lit chasms entice hikers to explore into their depths. The price of admission into such a canyon often requires long hikes, down-climbing and rappelling skills, as well as an involved knowledge of rope work. Fortunately, there are some slot canyons that can be experienced without such a hefty price. Red Canyon, or as locals call it: Peek-a-boo, does not require any hiking to get to, but will require a 4 wheel drive. This is not the Peek-a-Boo slot canyon found in the Escalante area. Peek-a-Boo From where you parked you can see the slot canyon to the west. The canyon is usually dry and is only about .35 miles long. Notice how some sections are warmer and others are flushed with chilly air as the slot twists and turns, opens and narrows and the canyon floor rises and falls throughout the short hike. Stripped logs, twigs, and other debris wedged up high offer evidence of past violent flash floods that have raged through the waterway and forged the sandy chasm. The enclosed setting of a weathered canyon with towering walls, abstract designs and dramatic lighting combine for a photographers camera, as oils on a canvas do for an artists brush, providing the ideal tools to create a perfect image. Most sections in this slot are well lit, but a few places can only be captured with a steady hand or the use of a tripod. All too soon a large chockstone, 15 feet up, wedged between the walls ends exploration. Tanya Milligan in Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Shamans Needle Back at the slot entrance look for a small drainage that enters from the north. Taking a casual stroll just a mere 100 yards up this sandy bottom wash will reveal a "pencil stick" stone structure. To exit, return the same way as you drove in.