The hike to Zebra Slot Canyon is around 2.5 miles one way on a well-trod footpath until you reach the mouth of the canyon itself. You can follow Harris Wash for the last part but it was filled with deep sand and is much more tiring to hike in than the trail. Once inside the canyon the fun really starts. Even dogs, like Everest, can make it only so far into Zebra Slot Canyon before the canyon is too narrow for them. We hiked in May and started our hike at 7 AM. After making the hike to Zebra Slot Canyon and then spending several hours exploring the canyon, our return hike at 11 AM was already very hot. Hiking Zebra Slot Canyon can be a little tricky. Finding the entrance to the slot canyon can be difficult unless you have good directions (keep reading!) and navigating the slot canyon can be challenging. I failed, which I am a little embarrassed to admit, but find out what I did wrong so you can have a better experience. Details About the Hike. Zebra slot canyon is one of many hikes to be found along southern Utah’s Hole-in-the-Rock Road, where many sandstone canyons feed the west side of the Escalante River. As always when exploring slot canyons, it’s important to be mindful of local rainfall. Grand Staircase-Escalante’s summer heat is no joke, either.

Zebra Slot Canyon is one of the more beautiful slot canyons that I've visited. It's relatively narrow and difficult to climb through or to pass other visitors, so be prepared. But, the sandstone layers and iron oxide inclusions make for a very beautiful experience.

Spooky & Peekaboo are the most popular slot canyons in the Escalante area. The access is easy, you can easily do both as a loop in a few hours, and hikers without technical canyoneering equipment or skills can enjoy both. Spooky slot canyon is one of the narrowest canyons in the world that hikers can safely navigate. It’s much longer and slimmer than Peekaboo, forcing hikers to carry daypacks to the side as you shuffle through. Add in a few short obstacles and one 5 ft scramble to make it that much more fun. Claustrophobic people will have a hard time with this Spooky.

Peekaboo slot canyon is shorter and shallow compared to Spooky, but still offers views of amazing twisting and turning canyon walls. It’s best to do these canyons as a loop hike, rather than hike up and back, then up and back the other. The best route, in my opinion, is to hike up Spooky first, cross over, then drop down Peekaboo (clounterclockwise direction). The reason I say this is because it’s easier to drop down a 15 ft dryfall rather than hike up it. The obstacles in Spooky are much easier to manuever by hiking up as well.

If it’s rained recently, you will find pools of water in both canyons, but their floors are typically dry and sandy. If there’s even a slight chance of rain, stay away. Slot canyons can instantly become flashflood death zones. Both slots are brightest during mid-day, so if you are looking to do some photography start around 11am. The downside to this is that you may encounter many more hikers wanting to continue through. Start early to beat the heat and the other hikers.

Here is a driving map From Escalante, UT.

From Escalante, head East on HWY 12, then turn south for Hole in The Rock Rd (HITR). Reset your odometer and drive 26 miles down the well-graded dirt road. Turn left at the signed “Dry Fork TH” (also Co Rd 252), then drive 1.7 miles to the end of the road. This road can be very rutted out, so if needed, you can park at the first parking lot about 1/2 mile on that same turn off, then walk the rest of the way to the TH.

Distance: 4.5 RT (loop)

Elevation gain: 673 ft

Time: 2-4 hours

Dog friendly? Yes, off leash but read advisory below

Kid friendly? Yes, but read advisory below

Fees/Permits? None

Can I bring my dog here?

Though dogs are allowed off leash, and we brought ours along, I wouldn’t recommend taking dogs here. Spooky slot canyon is very narrow, only 12 inches at its widest. There are also several obstacles they need assistance with – the hardest being a 5 ft scramble up to another boulder hop. Then on the way down out from PeekaBoo slot canyon, they need help getting down a 15 ft dryfall. Dogs over 70-75 pounds will definitely not fit through the Spooky Slot Canyon.

If you still want to bring your dog, make sure they wear a dog harness to help pull them over obstacles and to lower them down the 15 ft drop. You don’t need ropes persay, but definitely 2-3 other people helping you and your dog out.

Is this a good hike for kids?

Kids who are comfortable with tight spaces and scrambling will have fun and do well. They will need help up the 5 ft scramble, and getting down the 15 ft dryfall.

Another option for both dogs and kids is to only hike into the canyon where you feel comfortable, then turn around. However, if you go during high tourist season (March-October), there will be few options for turning around where you won’t run into others trying to hike up the slot.

What should I bring?

Only bring one backpack per group of hikers – Spooky Canyon is too narrow to fit you and your backpack. There were 4 of us in our group plus the dogs, and we were able to share a pack with all of our snacks and 3 liters of water. The hike is only 4.5 miles RT so you don’t need a ton of gear. The simpler & lighter you go, the easier it will be getting through the canyon. Also don’t wear your “nice” hiking clothes – the canyon walls will scrape your clothes and they can get torn. Dress in layers – even in January we were down to tank tops when popped out of the canyon into the sun.

As you apporach the TH and parking area, you’ll see this nice new sign.

The trail starts in the NE corner of the lot.

Follow the large cairns to get to the base of Dry Fork Canyon.

You’ll hike through sand and slickrock, as you keep descending.

Once in the canyon, pass the entrance to Peekaboo on your left, then continuing following the trail to the entrance of Spooky.

Our “spooked” faces as we enter Spooky Slot Canyon!

Making our way into the canyon!

Charlie leads us into the darkness.

And now you can see how tight the canyon is! Charlie is 70 lbs and barely scrapes through.

Getting tighter! See all those little bumps on the canyon walls? They will tear your clothes easily.

Fun photo spot with the pups. From left to right:

Polly, Springer Spaniel

Mac, Springer Spaniel

Charlie, my Golden Lab

Copper, a Blue Tick Coonhound

Sometimes the canyon is even too narrow for feet to fit comfortably.

A rare sighting of Charlie smiling! He loves slot canyons.

Yeah, it’s that narrow!

Towards the end of Spooky, you’ll reach the 5 ft scramble. You have to kind of chimney your feet up – the boulder where he is gripping has two really good hand holds to pull up.

Make your way over some really small boulders, and then you’ll exit Spooky.

As soon as you get out of Spooky, look for the trail to the left. This is your trail to loop over to Peekaboo.

Loving this tank top weather in January! PS I’m loving my new shades from Nectar – check them out on Amazon!

Keep following the cairns as it leads you to the East side of Peekaboo.

Follow the slot canyon to the west as you enter Peekaboo.

@Ihaveathingfordogs scopes out our route.

Watch out dogs, Mama is coming down!

Finally the canyon opens again, and you now have the iconic view of Peekaboo slot canyon.

Start to drop down, as you make your way to the exit.

The exit for Peekaboo (you should have passed this on your way to Spooky when you started the hike). This is about a 15 ft dryfall – the hardest part for helping the dogs get out of the canyon.

Same spot in Peekaboo, but my point of view!

Overall the dogs did great, but it was stressful at times. There’s no way I could have helped Charlie over the obstacles by myself. It really helped to have a harness and 3 other people to help me get him up and over tough spots. Copper was the hardest to help, since we weighs the most at about 80 lbs and has the largest girth. He also tore a nail and split his dew claw (poor guy!).

Zebra Slot Canyon Dogs Allowed

You can see my GPS went a little crazy in the slots, but it shows the general direction. You can also cut over to Spooky faster by skipping the rounded section, and following the brown post sign that has a “P” on it.

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Drive East of Escalante, UT on HWY 12, then turn right onto Hole in the Rock Road. Reset your odometer and drive 8 miles. The TH/parking lot is right at a cattle guard, and the trail starts on the East side of the road.

Here is a driving map.

Distance: 5 miles RT

Elevation gain: flat, 23 ft

Time: 2-4 hours

Dog friendly? Yes, off leash but read advisory below

Kid friendly? Yes, but read advisory below

Fees/Permits? None

Can I bring my dog here?

Though dogs are allowed off leash, and we brought ours along, I wouldn’t recommend taking dogs here. Zebra slot canyon is very narrow; there are also several tight obstacles they need assistance with – the hardest is getting them over a really narrow section at the bottom. We had to sit cross-canyon (legs and back agains the wall), and let the dogs walk over our laps to get across! Another option would be to bring them, but then each hiker goes one by one to get to the end, then comes back and trades off watching the dogs at the canyon entrance. If you still want to bring your dog, make sure they wear a dog harness to help pull them over obstacles.

Is this a good hike for kids?

Kids who are comfortable with tight spaces and scrambling will have fun and do well. They will need help getting over/through the tightest sections.

What should I bring?

Each person should carry at least 2-3 liters of water. The simpler & lighter you go, the easier it will be getting through the canyon. We opted to leave our packs at the canyon entrance so we didn’t have to worry about carrying them through. The best section is really short anyway, and you should need anything out of your pack for 15-20 minutes. Also don’t wear your “nice” hiking clothes – the canyon walls will scrape your clothes and they can get torn. Dress in layers – even in January we were down to tank tops when popped out of the canyon into the sun.

Zebra Slot Canyon Dogs For Adoption

The parking area is big, and is right on the other side of the cattle guard off Hole in the Rock Road (HITR), on the West side fo the road.

The trail starts on the East side of HITR road.

The trail is very easy as it meanders through Sage & Juniper trees – pass the No Collection sign.

As you can see the trail is very exposed – no shade for the entire hike. Make sure you carry sunblock, plenty of water, and a hat, even in Winter.

Hike past the Wilderness Study Area sign, and you will now be in a dry wash called Halfway Hollow.

Zebra Slot Canyon Dogs Pictures

Cut through the gate either right through the swining ladders, or off to the right, where you can move a gate to get through.

You should now be hiking through some amazing red rock country!

Once you reach the large, dry Harris Wash, head left. You can either walk through the middle of the wash, or off to the side on the right through some sage brush. Either way it’s slow going since it’s thick sand.

Entrance to Zebra. The temperatures weren’t even that hot, yet Charlie decided to take a break in the shade. We dropped our packs right around the corner so we didn’t have to shimmy through the slot with them on.

@adventuresofpollyandmac gets a boost from her mom as the canyon narrows.

I think they are all saying, “ME FIRST!” This was one of the toughest sections to get them over because the ground was too narrow for even us to put our feet. We had to put our backs and legs against the walls, then let the dogs walk over our legs!

Same tough spot, but looking back to the others as they get the last dog, Copper, across. He was the hardest since he is the biggest dog at 80 lbs.

The canyon stays narrow, but this time the dogs can make it through themselves.

And after one last boost up for Charlie, we found the best section. It’s even more amazing in person! The end of the canyon is only about 10 ft behind me. To be honest, it’s a long, dry, sandy hike to get to for such a short section of the zebra stripes. This was my second time here, and I finally got to see the best part, but wouldn’t do this hike again.

Zebra Slot Canyon Dogs For Sale

Trail map (you can see my GPS went a little crazy in the slot canyon)

The Ultimate Guide – Dog Friendly Hikes in Escalante, Utah!

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