Spooky Canyon, a Hidden Gem Near Hoover Dam, AZ

If you love hidden gems, you’ll love Spooky Canyon. The extremely short hike known as Spooky Canyon is a small slot canyon, located off highway 93 near the border of Nevada and Arizona and only a few miles from Hoover Dam. This is not to be confused with Spooky Gulch in Utah. We came across Spooky Canyon after our adventure hiking Liberty Bell Arch and Arizona Hot Springs. The canyon itself was dark and mysterious, especially in one of the side canyons. I guess that’s why it was named “Spooky”. It was definitely a wonderful find and a nice way to round out our full day of adventures.

Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surrounding areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no taking artifacts or fossilized items, and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!

Stats

Where

Spooky Canyon Parking Lot
35°59’02.6″N 114°42’26.4″W

Parking

Small pull out on the side of the road.

Restroom

There is no restroom

Fee

Free

Important Things

Since it is a slot canyon, there are risk of flash flood. Please do not attempt this hike if there’s rain in the forecast.

Distance

0.9 mi R.T.

Elevation Gain

124ft

Level

Easy

Time:

30 minutes

Pet-friendly

You can bring your pet, but they have to be on leashed.

Ideal Time

Cooler months. It can be warm since it’s in the desert.

Weather

Video

Getting There

Spooky Canyon is about 0.5 miles from the White Rock Canyon trailhead parking lot. If you’re coming from Hoover Dam, Spooky Canyon is before the White Rock Canyon trailhead. Coming from White Rock Canyon trailhead, parking for Spooky Canyon will be right after the second guard rail. It’s literally just a gravel/dirt pull-out, so if you blink, you might miss it. Make sure to keep an eye out for it.

The Adventure

Finding the Start of the Canyon

Finding the canyon is adventure all to itself. Actually, it’s not that bad but it can be tricky to find. We had a bit trouble finding it as well. So after parking, we follow the road going south, toward the guard rail. There is a small trail, following along the guard rail, leading down to the canyon. The canyon is fenced off to keep the wildlife from getting run over on the highway. However, there are holes underneath the fence that allow hiker access. The short climb from here to the bottom of the canyon is probably the most challenging part. It can get a bit slippery.

Exploring Spooky Canyon

Once we got to the bottom of the canyon, it doesn’t look that interesting. However, as we went further in, the views got so much better. After a short distance, we came upon a split. Going left will lead you toward a side canyon. Going right is toward the main canyon. We went left quite a way to explore the side canyon. It was quite beautiful but you will have to scramble/climb up the wall on a few spots to continue your way.

We turned back after a while to explore the main canyon. It was getting late so we didn’t want to spend too much time here. The main canyon was very interesting with tall canyon walls curving along the narrow slot. The canyon walls here are super interesting with different shapes and openings. There are two more side canyons a long the way.

The Best Part

The third side canyon is a must-see. It is an exquisitely carved narrow canyon. This canyon is a lot darker, and more mysterious. You’ll know that you’re here when you see the rock at the opening that looks like a side profile of a face. As we walked along the canyon, we kept hearing howling noises. Apparently, since it was windy on the day we went, the windy went through the holes in the rocks and made that noise. However, it definitely added on to the whole spooky vibe of this already dark canyon. The third side canyon ended at a 20ft wall so we turned back.

The main canyon goes a bit further in, however, it was getting dark and we can see the storm brewing in the distance. So, we decided to head back to the car. Even though we cut the adventure a little short, it was still such a cool canyon to check out. It was definitely better than we expect. If you’re around the Hoover Dam area, Spooky Canyon makes a wonderful addition to Gold Strike Hot Springs, Arizona Hot Springs or Liberty Bell Arch. If you prefer easier hike, check out the super interesting Historic Railroad Trail near Boulder City. This trail will take you to Hoover Dam

These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.