Exploring Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon – An Adventure in Kanab Utah
Kanab is a small southern Utah town located just across the border from Arizona. The town is surrounded by lots of natural beauty, and the entire area is an adventure wonderland. We had an unexpected long weekend pop up in mid-October and I jumped at the chance to spend it in Kanab. It was one of the last areas we hadn’t yet visited during our many southern Utah road trips during the pandemic. While tripping Kanab, I discovered a plethora of tours and activities to choose from. One adventure I booked was a Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon ATV Tour with the Kanab Tour Company. We spent an afternoon driving Polaris RZR Side-by-Sides across remote sandy trails to spectacular viewpoints, culminating in a hike through one of the area’s favorite slot canyons…Peek-A-Boo.
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Contents
So Many Slot Canyons, Not Enough Names
A slot canyon is a long narrow passageway eroded through sandstone with tall, sheer rock walls often reaching 100 feet or higher. Utah has the highest concentration of slot canyons in the world with an estimated 1000 of them in the southern part of the state. Kanab is a great base for exploring several of the most popular.
I guess when it comes to naming 1000 slot canyons, creativity can become an issue. There are two Peek-A-Boo slot canyons in Utah. One is located in the Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument, and the other is 8 miles north of Kanab on BLM land. Adding to the confusion, the Kanab Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon is also known by its original name Red Canyon. This not to be confused with Utah’s other Red Canyon located near Bryce Canyon National Park. Canyon confusion!
(I’ve also written about the other Red Canyon on this blog)
We were later told that no one knows exactly why the Canyon’s name was changed from Red to Peek-A-Boo. But some locals believe it’s named for a tiny “window” in the canyon’s wall that allows for photos like this….
Kanab Tour Company
Most of the popular slot canyons near Kanab are not easy to access. Many are at the end of dirt roads that absolutely require high clearance 4×4 vehicles, as is the case with Peek-A-Boo slot canyon. I looked into renting a high-clearance 4×4 while in Kanab, so we could see many of the area’s off-road sites. We had done something similar at Capitol Reef National Park last year, spending a day exploring the remote Cathedral Valley Loop in a rented Jeep. However, because it was a last minute trip (during Utah’s busy Fall Break weekend no less) rentals were booked.
So I sought out alternative ways to explore slot canyons, ultimately discovering Kanab Tour Company and their Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon ATV Tour. We could drive one of their Polaris RZR UTVs along the rough access road, while also having fun exploring the surrounding trails. Plus we could drive the RZR ourselves. Many other tour companies located in Kanab insist on doing the driving for you. I definitely wanted to drive, and thinking that this sounded like a great afternoon, signed us up.
Getting Started
The Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon Tour starts at the Kanab Tour Company office in Kanab. Here we were fitted with helmets and protective eyewear, signed the usual waivers, and watched a quick video explaining a little bit about the day ahead. We then drove the 8 miles in our own car to the Peek-A-Boo trailhead parking area.
Upon arrival at the dirt parking area, we found our group of 4 RZRs already lined up, and met Jason – our guide for the afternoon.
I’ve never driven a RZR Side-by-Side (or any other kind of ATV/UTV) before. Jason gave us a quick lesson in everything we needed to know. It seemed pretty straight-forward. Standard steering wheel, no clutch, high and low gear. Jason would give us hand-signals along the way directing us which gear to choose. He did mention that if any of us rolled, we would likely be protected by the roll bars, but that rolling tended to be a buzzkill for the rest of the afternoon. He encouraged us to avoid turning sharply at high speed to prevent being buzzkills.
And we were off…
A View from the Knoll
Since the drive to Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon is only a few miles from the parking area, Jason took us in the opposite direction for an hour of off-road adventures first. I was immediately surprised at how rutted, sandy, and uneven the road was, and at how fun it was to drive through it all – at speeds up to 35 mph. Despite the shocks and suspensions on the RZR, it was still really bumpy, and at times even bone-rattling. But it was undeniably fun. And I never felt, at any time, that we were at risk of rolling.
Our first destination was Red Knoll – an isolated hill in the area. We took the RZRs along a rocky road to the top. Here we were greeted with an amazing 360 degree view. We could see Zion National Park to the north, Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park to the west, and the Escalante-Grand Staircase National Monument to the east. We could even spot the southern edge Bryce Canyon National Park in the distance
Hiking Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon
After descending from Red Knoll, we followed Jason across more sandy, rutted trails to Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon. We parked our RZRs in the ravine near the canyon’s mouth and headed in for the 0.7 mile round trip hike.
The hike through Peek-A-Boo is relatively flat and sandy. Large rocks do protrude from the pathway at times, and a small ladder is set along the way to help hikers get past one particular elevated break in the mostly flat path. The hike ends in a rock alleyway with a high end wall too difficult to climb.
The canyon features many opportunities for those classic slot canyon photos of beautiful low-lit spaces between narrow irregular sandstone walls….
A 0.7 mile hike through a slot canyon takes a lot longer than the average 0.7 mile hike. It requires time to take in all the beauty….. and stop for multiple photos. Plus the canyon was fairly crowded. Several tour groups had made their way to the canyon along with private vehicles too. So, many extra stops were required to let others pass, or wait for the perfect photo spot to clear out.
After 45 minutes or so in the canyon, we hopped back on the RZRs and headed back the few remaining miles to the parking lot.
Final Thoughts and Tips
We arrived at the Kanab Tour Company office at 12:30 and finished our tour just before 4pm. The cost for this full afternoon activity varies according to the size of UTV required by your group. Our 2-seater cost $269 plus tax.
Our guide Jason grew up in Kanab, riding all of these trails and exploring all the canyons. His insight was a great addition to the afternoon.
While hiking through a slot canyon, it’s easy to forget to watch your step as you gawk at the towering rock walls. A member of our group tripped over a rock and hit his head firmly against a sandstone wall (fortunately, he was OK).
Some visitors to Peek-A-Boo Canyon hike from the parking area. AllTrails.com lists the round trip distance at 8.7 miles.
It was unseasonably cool during our October visit with afternoon temperatures in the mid 50s. Layers are important at this time of year when exploring slot canyons anyway. The canyon itself is much cooler with those high walls blocking out most of the sun. And never enter a slot canyon when there are thunderstorms in the the area. Flash flooding is a life-threatening risk through slot canyons in rainy weather.
The following day, we went canyoneering through another area slot canyon called Ladder Canyon. This slot canyon’s floor wasn’t so flat, and required us to rappel (from 7 different heights), slide, and spider walk our way from the beginning to the end. Click here to read my post about canyoneering through Ladder Slot Canyon. I’ve also written a Thorough Guide to Kanab – there are so many other things to do in the area surrounding this perfectly located town.
And here are some alternative options through Viator for seeing Peek-A-Boo canyon without needing to drive a UTV yourself.
Beautiful photos and as usual your very insightful information for visitors thinking of going to Kanab!
Thanks Sasha! I hope that other visitors to Kanab do find it useful.
You photos are great and the area looks an interesting place to visit.
It’s definitely a very photogenic spot
I’m happy that you enjoyed the slot canyons and other wonderful explorations. I love the absolute beauty and stillness of the desert. I live in Kanab and go out almost every day to the desert to feed my soul with my dogs. I am running out of places to go with the relative explosion of atv tours. The quiet stillness of my favorite spots is gone. The once familiar trails I hike have been obliterated by the atvs to the point that I got lost trying to find the original trail. Delicate desert flora, cacti, sages and cliff roses are ground into the sand by roaring atv’s. It’s really hard to see and I grieve for the loss of such beauty. I guess it’s inevitable this happens.
Thanks for sharing that perspective
Such stunning photos Steven, Peek-a-boo canyon looks incredible. The Kanab tour is something we would love to do, it sounds so much fun and we enjoy hiking. Utah is certainly high up on our list for places to visit in the US.
So much to do over here Wendy once you get the chance to make the long journey
Phenomenal shots guys. This region has so much to offer. Definitely high on our travel list as we will be in the US for a while.
Thanks Ryan. I continue to be amazed at all the beauty in my home state.
Great photos! Thanks for posting.
We hiked Peek A Boo years ago but I think it’s time to revisit.
You can’t go wrong with a revisit
I wish you peoplw would quit advetising these Southern Utah gems! These areas are not Disneyland with an infastructure to accomodate millions if people? Too many people just trash and trample! Now please just enjoy it and move on your way!
Thank You
I can see your point. I avoided the National Parks in Utah for years because I thought were too crowded. Especially Zion
Wow those rock formations are unbelievable and huge, would love to see it for myself.
Driving the RZR would be fun just itself what a great all round trip Utah is still well on the list to visit
Yes it was a great all-around way to spend an afternoon
I love those Utah colors! Beautiful photos as usual. Good tips on explorin slot canyons too.
Those Utah colors are nice aren’t they?
Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon looks absolutely gorgeous. All the pictures are amazing! Anotheer place to add to our Utah bucketlist…
The Utah bucket list tends to be a long one!
What a fun way to see the slot canyons! I think I’d want them to drive for me. Haha. I’ve always wanted to visit this area of Utah just to see them. Your photos are so pretty and I can imagine you could spend hours taking photos. That does seem a little confusing as many slot canyons have the same names!
Driving is half the fun!!
You really are getting into the nooks and crannies of Utah now! I would love to take this tour and the ATVs would be a real pull. When we visited Antelope Canyon, we had to travel there in special 4 x 4 minibuses (there is no option. Visitors to AC have to take the guided tours) so driving these karts would be so much more exciting. The canyon looks awesome. Looking forward to reading about the next one where you had to abseil down. Makes Antelope Canyon look very tame!
Antelope Canyon is an hour or so away from Kanab but I decided to not go there for that very reason. Too tame. I want some excitement with my slot canyon tours!
The photos are like from another planet. Stunning! Sounds like a real adventure, would love to visit it one day.
Southern Utah really seems like another planet sometimes
I am so mesmerized by slot canyons. So surreal and beautiful! This Peek-A-Boo Slot Canyon ATV tour in Kanab, Utah looks and sounds like a fun experience.
It was my first slot canyon and fulfilled every expectation
Those UTVs look like a whole lot of fun, Stephen. How funny that there is a canyon confusion. Your pictures look amazing. When will we read about your climbing/abseiling adventure?
It’s coming next Stefan. It was great fun too as you will see in a few weeks
What an incredible place to see, I can’t get enough of the unique formations and I love the peek-a-boo name! I’m definitely adding Kanab to the list, also I’ve never been to Utah, so that will be an adventure for me too!
Hope you get the chance to visit Lisa
It’s amazing that all these parks are so close together. You definitely have a lot of beauty near you. My parents have talked about taking me up to to some of these national parks when I visit. I’ll have to let them know to check out Kanab!
There is so much to see in that part of Utah. Hope you have time to see as much as you can!
I have always wanted to hike through a Utah slot canyon. I enjoyed reading about your visit and your amazing photos. Hiring a RZR is the way to go for this!
A good day all around. Hope you get the chance sometime
If I was only looking at the photos here, I would assume I was reading about the new Mad Max movie. This is super cool. The RZR’s look like so much fun. I didn’t realise there was tons of canyons like this. I thought antelope canyon was unique. It’s a pricey tour, but how often can you do this.
I agree that it cost more than I usually like to spend on a tour, but it was so worth it!
I’m so jealous! We tried to take the van to Peek-a-Boo, but couldn’t make it all the way without 4-wheel drive. Next time! Saving this post so I have all the tips!
So wise of you not to try and go all the way. Getting stuck in that sand would not have been a good experience
A good day all around. Hope to get the chance sometime
This is a great read as my husband and I are planning to visit peek a boo slot canyon this spring, so thank you for the insight 🙂
– Sara Billings
Glad you found it helpful! Such a great place. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.