Bull Canyon Trail
in Colorado
CAUTION: Storm damage from August 2021 has altered and removed sections of the former trail. This unmaintained route contains several natural obstacles potential hikers must be prepared to navigate. This steep trail descends from the Yampa Bench Road to the Yampa River near the Harding Hole campsites.
The trail provides dramatic views of Bull Canyon and the Yampa River. The Harding Hole campsites are reserved for river users during the high use season (see river rafting information). In the off-season, campsites are open to backpackers.
River rafters can use the Bull Canyon Trail to access the sweeping views from Wagon Wheel Point. Length: 1½ mile one way / 3 miles round trip. Not a loop Level of Difficulty: Difficult - Unmaintained Route Trailhead Location: On the Yampa Bench Road, just east of Wagon Wheel Point Overlook, or from Harding Hole #1 campsite on the Yampa River.
- States
- Colorado
- Trail type
- National Monument trail
- Centroid nearest city
- Salt Lake City, UT · 162 mi · ~5 hr drive
- Centroid coords
- 40.4596°, -108.8370°
About Dinosaur National Monument
This trail is inside Dinosaur National Monument, a national monument managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.
Entrance fee: $25 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.
Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/bull-canyon-trail.htm
Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm
Plan your hike
Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.
Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.
When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.
If you've hiked Bull Canyon Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.
Other trails within 50 miles
Confluence Trail
9 miles from this trail's centroid
Mitten Park Trail
9 miles from this trail's centroid
Harpers Corner Trail Stop 13
10 miles from this trail's centroid
Harpers Corner Trail Stop 12
10 miles from this trail's centroid
Harpers Corner Trail Stop 15
10 miles from this trail's centroid
Harpers Corner Trail Stop 14
10 miles from this trail's centroid
Sources
Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.