Showdown Canyon (Dinosaur)

Showdown is a great technical entrance to access the Yampa river. While this beta is shown with the long exit, consider combining Showdown with one of the canyons on the north side for a full day: Scoggins, Outlaw, Inlaw, Upper or Lower Tiger Wall.

Drive Highway 40 east of Dinosaur, CO turning north at the Canyon Visitor Center onto Harper's Corner Rd for 25.5 miles on pavement. Along the way, a bathroom is available at the Plug Hat Butte parking and dispersed camping is available down Blue Mountain Road. Late arrivals beware the many deer and black cows on the open range along Harper's Corner Road. Turn right off the pavement toward Echo Park at Sand Canyon Road, which is easily passable with 4WD HC in dry conditions. Drive Sand Canyon Rd 7.5 miles to the intersection with Yampa Bench Road. Echo Park is to the left. Turn right on Yampa Bench Road for 3.9 miles. Yampa Bench Road is also easily passable with 4WD HC in dry conditions to where it intersects Red Rock Canyon. Park the shuttle vehicle next to Yampa Bench Road just before Red Rock Canyon. Drive back northwest on Yampa Bench Road for 1.3 miles, turn northeast on a two-track at (40.49553, -108.94982). Park at (40.50996, -108.93429) next to a fenced area. Hike southeast cross-country to the first rappel at (40.50242, -108.93082).

R1: 70' or 140' from a bush in drainage DC: 20' or extend R1 to 140' R2: 175' from a large tree DCR with an extension of 50' from the tree. This is a good location to join a shorter rope and fiddle the longer joined combination. Skirt a 20' cliff by downclimbing DCR. Note a deep cave at the bottom of the cliff. DC: 10' over pothole water, then DC: 20' Walk a ways in the drainage to the final descent to the Yampa River. Shortly after the slick rock starts, DC: 12' DC: 20' into water or bypass DCL If bypassing the next rappel/downclimb is also missed: R/DC: 20' into pool end the bypass and rejoin the drainage at R3 by completing a few switchbacks on ledges R3: 180' from a tree DCL. A chockstone is available as well, but the tree provides a better place to start the rappel. DC: 20' after the pothole at the bottom of R3 or extend R3 to 200' to stay on rope. DC: 20' DCR to get to the limestone ledge for R4 R4: 50' from a boulder DCL R5: 105' from a tree DCR