Bull Gultch Wilderness Study Area (north of Eagle)

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JE242
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Bull Gultch Wilderness Study Area (north of Eagle)

Post by JE242 »

Has anyone done any hiking/backpacking in this area? I'm hoping to explore some pinion/juniper country this Friday and Saturday, and this place looked really cool when I drove to McCoy in the summer. I don't mind cross-country exploration, but was wondering if anyone knew of social or established trails in the area. Also what the best access would be. Any suggestions or warnings are appreciated. Thanks-j
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Chicago Transplant
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Re: Bull Gultch Wilderness Study Area (north of Eagle)

Post by Chicago Transplant »

Check out this link: http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/crvfo/re ... h_wsa.html click on "travel map", its a big file and takes a little while to download, but shows maps of the whole area. You might have to right click and "save as" to get the map to show up.

This may make more sense than my ramblings about roads you probably aren't going to find on a normal road map :lol:

I have been in there a couple of times, not sure how accessible the roads are in winter? The best way to get in there is probably to exit I-70 at Dotsero and follow the Colorado River Road north following the Colorado River, the turn off may not be too intuitive to find though. Its on the east side of the river maybe a mile north of where the road crosses from the west west to east side of the Colorado River, its FS 8479 on the map above and is probably a snowmobile trail in winter. There are a lot of ranches and private property in the area, so make sure you aren't turning in someones driveway. There is an earlier turn off for the Trail Gulch Road closer to the bridge as well, that puts you farther from the WSA.

The WSA looks accessible from farther north on the Colorado River Road, but the road switches back to the wrong side of the river and the part that is on the "right" side of the river is all private.

A second option is to come in from farther to the north, also from the Colorado River Road. Either stay on it much longer from the Dotsero side, or exit I-70 at Wolcott like you are going to Steamboat and hit the north end of the Colorado River Road, there is a large "Y" split at Blue Hill that leads to the northern end of the Bull Gulch WSA but is closed to motorized use in winter for elk habitat. I climbed Pisgah from that area, you could take that fork and park just after the ranch where the winter gate is and still get your pinion/juniper fix, just on BLM land instead of WSA. Pisgah wasn't a bad little hike, and I did it in late winter and found it to be fairly dry.

As far as established trails, I don't remember anything outside of the designated motorized vehicle routes on the map. There are a couple trails shown on that map though that may work?


PS - That link above mentions a Milk Creek Road access and trailhead that sounds quick and easy, but it goes to Castle Peak WSA, not Bull Gulch!
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JE242
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Re: Bull Gultch Wilderness Study Area (north of Eagle)

Post by JE242 »

Thanks you for all of this info! I picked up th Colorado Canyon Country guidebook too. I should be able to figure something out between your info and that. My plans are still up in the air though. The weather is questionable for Thurday-fri. If anyone is interested in checking this area out, PM me.
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