Bulldog Creek

Located near Redstone, Colorado, Bulldog Creek is a small tributary to Avalanche creek. Historically, the area has been associated with the Avalanche mining district, now part of the White River National Forest. Although the creek exists entirely on National Forest land, the M & J claim along the creek is current. Avoid disturbing the old mining structures and tunnels or removing any minerals in the area. This waterfall is a confirmed nesting site for the Black Swift, listed as a Species of Special Concern by the U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The swifts migrate from Brazil annually to occupy this site from late May until late September, raising a single chick. The swifts are susceptible to disturbance from human activities near their nests, including noise and movement, direct disturbance or destruction of their nests, and trampling of vegetation. Canyoneering/climbing at this waterfall during the Black Swift nesting season (late May - late September/first frost) is likely to cause direct damage to nests, eggs, and young, and disturb adult swifts enough to cause them to abandon their nest and offspring. Click here for more information on the Black Swift.

From Carbondale, drive south on highway 133 for about 12 miles until you reach Avalanche creek road. Drive about 1.7 miles till the road intersects Bulldog Creek at a water crossing. The trailhead starts just before the water crossing, on the north side of the road. Pull off parking can be found adjacent to the trailhead, as well as in a few spots in either direction on the road On Foot: Depart Avalanche creek road, heading northeast. A well-defined trail follows closely to Bulldog Creek and eventually reaches an old abandoned mining structure. Past the mining structure, the trail crosses to the south side of the creek. A few social trails of varying quality exist heading north up the river. Take care to choose the most worn trail to avoid any additional excess erosion. The trail continues up the river until you reach an old abandoned mine. Soon after the mine you reach a waterfall, R8 of the canyon. This serves as a good spot to gauge the water before continuing the approach. After viewing R8 just beyond the mine and at the junction of Bulldog Creek and an unnamed creek, which comes in from the right looking upstream, begin the approach by traveling upstream in the unnamed creek. Some small falls quickly block the ascent up the creek, but they can be easily bypassed on the south side. After bypassing the falls, continue up the creek for around another 1000 ft. You’ll pass an additional drainage which comes in from the right. A few hundred feet after, a faint trail to the left should appear, leading you to a large, abandoned mining structure. From here, make your way north towards Bulldog Creek. An outcropping by the creek serves as a vantage point for another large fall, R3. Continue working up the ridges of the mountain, occasionally departing the ridge to contour the mountain closer to the creek. Alternatively, skip the two upper falls and enter the creek a bit upstream of the R3 lookout.

Enter Bulldog Creek just above R1. Please note that this canyon is frequented by ice climbers, and because of such, some of the anchors may not be suitable for all canyoneering rigging techniques. Leave any climbing hardware or pro as found. Continue downstream through a lush, moss filled canyon. The creek eventually turns sharply left which indicates the arrival at the sequence of the next 3 rappels which come in quick succession. Anchors in the R4 and R5 corridor are impacted by flash floods: The canyon narrows with steep walls on both sides. Continue downstream, downclimbing small obstacles along the way. The canyon will eventually turn sharply left when a giant tributary gully joins from Canyon Right where the next sequence of waterfalls occurs A small slide indicates the start of the final R7 & R8 sequence.