Escalante Part 6

Tuesday, August 18th was our last day in Escalante.  On Wayne's to do list was to hike a slot canyon.  Peek-a-Boo and Spooky are two well known slot canyons in the area.  We had been talking to others in the campground who had done these and they sounded a little challenging for me.  There was a third slot located near these called Dry Fork.  It sounded PERFECT to me.  Walk in, no climbing, no water and great hike, I agreed to do this one and look at the other two.   We had to drive 26 miles down Hole-in-the-Rock Road (dirt road that was more washboard than smooth with some sandy spots),  then turn on to the access "road" to the slots.  The first mile was a 4 wheel drive road.  The second mile could only be called a ditch.   Wayne and the Jeep met the challenge!

Hole-in-the-Rock Road

Access road to the slots...more like a ditch

Once you have made it down the ditch/road to the parking lot, you have to hike into the gulch down a slick rock wall.  Dry Fork Slot was as promised.  I loved it and got some great pictures.  We met a nice couple, Bob and Charlene, at Dry Fork and ended up spending the rest of our time in the canyon with them.  We also ran into our neighbors at the campground, Greg and Nicole, and they were headed to Peek-a-Boo when we were.  Greg and Nicole did all of  Peek-a-Boo and Spooky.  Wayne went in to Peek-a-Boo and decided to leave it to the young and agile so he came back out.  Bob, Charlene, Wayne and I headed to Spooky.  All of us went to the first tight spot (take off your pack and squish your body through).  Charlene decided to not try it.  I went through it to prove I could and then came out.  Bob and Wayne continued on for a while.  Bob made it as far as he could, Wayne was able to squish his way further but decided that was enough.  Fun morning.

All of the above are from Dry Fork

Wayne after scrambling to the opening of Peek-a-Boo

View inside of Peek-a-Boo taken before Wayne came down

Outside Spooky

This is the wider part at the opening of Spooky

Lizard along our hike back to the car

We drove back out the ditch and back down Hole-in-the-wall road.  We had our picnic lunch at Devil's Garden.  We decided to try another dirt road, Cedar Wash Road.  We did the hike to Cedar Wash Arch.  After the hike we took Cedar Wash Road all the way back to Escalante.

Cedar Wash Arch

We enjoyed our stay in Escalante and there are still things we have not done so we may have to go back one day.