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.
The Rochester Panel and Molen Reef Petroglyphs are near Emery, Utah, and consists of one very large panel of hundreds of images likely carved by the Fremont Native Americans. The vast majority of the petroglyphs have a strong Barrier Canyon influence, including animals, female/male figures, and one large rainbow-like image. Molen Reef Petroglyphs are much smaller, but still expose what the native people were contemplating. You can easily combine both in one afternoon, as the hike to the Rochester Panel is only 1/2 mile, and you can drive right up to the Molen Reef area. Kids, dogs, and casual hikers will enjoy these areas, but please respect the rules and DO NOT touch any of the petroglyphs.
The Dutchman Arch & the Head of Sinbad Pictographs are located in the San Rafael Swell - they are actually only about 1/4 and 1/2 mile north of I-70, but driving there takes some effort and a 4X4 drive car. Dutchman Arch is actually quite large, and a fun area to explore with dogs or kids. There's no hiking involved - you can park on either side of the arch.
The trails I gravitate to most are the ones right out the door - no more than an hour's drive from Salt Lake City. These are the trails I do right before or after work, with friends, solo, or save the bigger hikers for the weekend. Whether you want to see new trails, improve your fitness, or lose weight, use this book as a tool for motivation.
Moonshine Arch is located about 7 miles north of Vernal, UT. Not to be confused with the Moonshine Wash Slot Canyon in the San Rafael Swell, this short trail leads to an amazing arch that is 40 ft high, and 85 ft long. The trail is 90% sand and 10% slickrock, so because of this I highly avoid hiking here in Summer months if you bring your dog (the sand/rock will be too hot for their paws). The best time to hike here is in the afternoon, when the sun lights up the arch and alcove. This trail is super short, so it's great for kids or families visiting from out of state to hike to. Be aware that this trail crosses through an open cattle range, so always have a leash handy and don't disrupt the cattle or other wildlife.
