Hiking Bull Valley Gorge
Bryce Area
Overview
Sun 82 | 50 |
Mon 81 | 50 |
Tue 81 | 51 |
Wed 80 | 50 |
Thu 79 | 49 |
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Sun 82 | 50 |
Mon 81 | 50 |
Tue 81 | 51 |
Wed 80 | 50 |
Thu 79 | 49 |
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Bull Valley Gorge is an interesting place. The road goes over the gorge proper where a car accident occurred back in the 50's. The occupants of the car were killed, and their bodies recovered, but the car was left wedged into the gorge, and the road re-built on top of it.As you go under the bridge, the car is clearly, and somewhat eerily visible high above.
Getting There
Head south out of Cannonville toward Kodachrome basin on the Kodachrome Basin road for 2.7 miles to the Skutumpah Road.
- This road is signed to Bull Valley gorge. Turn onto it and reset your odometer. ( 12S 407246mE 4154284mN / N37° 31' 51" W112° 02' 59" )
- At 5.5 miles, stay left. (on road 500) ( 12S 403121mE 4149745mN / N37° 29' 22" W112° 05' 45" )
- At 6.2 miles, the road crosses Willis Creek. ( 12S 402963mE 4149124mN / N37° 29' 02" W112° 05' 51" )
- Continue past Willis Creek an additional 1.9 miles (8.1 total). This is the trailhead on the rim of Bull Valley Gorge. ( 12S 401971mE 4147839mN / N37° 28' 20" W112° 06' 31" )
Route
The trailhead is right on the edge of Bull Valley Gorge, and gives impressive views of the canyon. From the car park, walk on the well-defined trail up the canyon on the north side. There is a trail register within 100M of the trailhead. Follow the trail for 10 or 15 minutes until the canyon becomes shallow and easy to descend to the bottom.
Head down the canyon. The best park of Bull Valley Gorge is right above and under the bridge. Before getting there, however, you will be faced with several downclimbing challenges. These likely change with every flood, but in 2007, all were fairly reasonable to downclimb and reverse. The most difficult, a 3 m ( 10 ft. ) chimney downclimb had a fixed rope when I visited. Be careful not to downclimb anything you cannot reverse unless you plan on taking the optional exit mentioned below.
Just after going under the bridge, the canyon begins to open. From here down, the canyon is a beautiful deep canyon, but you have passed the narrowest section. You can turn around here and reverse the canyon back to your car whenever you feel inclined.
Trailhead |
12S 401904mE 4147823mN N37° 28' 20" W112° 06' 34" |
Exit |
12S 402580mE 4147288mN N37° 28' 02" W112° 06' 06" |