Carcass Canyon (Dinosaur)

A short, fun canyon between Yampa Bench Road and the Yampa River. Good for combining with the few other short canyon options in the area.

Drive: Just East of Dinosaur, CO, drive north on Harper's Corner Rd for 25.5 miles. Turn right off pavement down Echo Park Rd into Sand Canyon for 7.5 miles. Turn right at the T intersection, heading East on Yampa Bench Road for 6.5 miles. 4WD High Clearance is required for Yampa Bench Road. In drier conditions, the muddiest/roughest section is likely to be when crossing Red Rock Canyon. Park at the Castle Park Overlook. Skip driving to Yampa Bench Road in rainy conditions or after recent precipitation. Drop a Fixed Line: The exit to the West shortly following the last rappel has been climbed by some without a fixed line, but most will likely want a bit of security to protect the high consequence of scaling the steep soft sandstone. 40min has been added to the 5min approach to set the fixed line Trace the return path from the parking area by walking the Yampa Bench Road to the West of the canyon. Following the GPS track will minimize cryptobiotic soil impact on hard surfaces and pre-existing animal trails. Hike the canyon rim to the north and down the upper hillside catching an easy break in the cliff band (40.46933, -108.90611). Aim for a tree at (40.46900, -108.90600) and fix at least an 80ft rope that will be more than sufficient to reach the bottom and allow for a hand line or ascenders for the return. Throwing the rope south (up canyon) past a bush will align with a less steep section of the sandstone wall. Ensure the rope hits the ground below. Hike: the road to the tributary entrance 250ft west of the Castle Park Overlook parking. Begin the descent here.

Alternate Entrance Not Recommended as highly Start at the Yampa Bench Road, 960 ft West of the Castle Park Overlook Parking. Alt R1: 100' from a small bush down a low angle sandstone slab Recommended Descent Start from the tributary just 250 ft West of the Castle Park Overlook Parking. DC1: 10' DC2: two 10' down climbs DC3: 15' R1: 25ft off a deadman anchor into the alcove below DC4: 15' in a wide chute DC5: 20' into a small pool below. An optional rappel from a tree on Canyon Left might keep feet dry DC6: a third easy downclimb before the final rappel R2: 50ft from a tree on Canyon Right, which is great fiddle stick opportunity

Walk downstream 2 minutes until it's possible to climb the short dirt bank on the Left (West). Climb up the fixed rope and exit on the West canyon rim above back to the car.