Miller Creek (Dinosaur)

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Difficulty:‌3B II (v2a2 III)

Raps:‌3, max ↨40ft

Metric

Overall:	4h	⟷5.2mi
Approach:	45min	⟷1.3mi	↓350ft
Descent:	2h	⟷1.3mi	↓580ft
Exit:	1.5h	⟷2.6mi	↑990ft

Red Tape:‌No permit required

Shuttle:‌None

Vehicle:4WD

Rock type:Sandstone

Start:

40.3069, -108.7136

Parking:

40.3237, -108.7160

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Condition Reports:

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Weather:

Weather forecast

Waterflow

Best season:

May-Jun, Sep-Oct

winter				spring				summer				fall
Dec	Jan	Feb		Mar	Apr	May		Jun	Jul	Aug		Sep	Oct	Nov

Regions:

Dinosaur National Monument

Download: KML / GPX | Open in CalTopo | Printable Map

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Introduction[edit]

Miller Creek is a great, fun canyon. The approach is easy in a nice pretty streambed, the canyon delivers big walls and lots of short downclimbing obstacles with a few short rappels. The return on the ridge is easy for pathfinding and making good time. Recommended and repeatable. Wetsuits advised in cooler temperatures; this canyon holds water in short sections.

Approach[edit]

Drive:
Drive 14.3 miles East of Dinosaur, CO and exit north off Hwy 40 onto County Road 104, continuing East. After 4 miles, turn North on Skull Creek Rd / CR 95. Turn left on an unimproved 4WD HC dirt road at 10 miles from Hwy 40, or park a lower clearance vehicle here and hike a little further.

Park at the dirt road intersection with the Miller Creek drainage.

Hike:
Approach in the streambed for 1.35 miles. This section is really pretty and makes for easy and fast downhill hiking often on slickrock in the watercourse.

Approaching in the upper drainage
Approaching in the upper drainage
Approaching in the upper drainage
Approaching in the upper drainage

Descent[edit]

R1: 20' from a rock

Optional rappel or DC with partner assist on Canyon Left

stemming
R1
R1

streamwalking
streamwalking
R2
R2

R2: 40' from a from tree set back CR

R3: 25' from a pinch into pool

R3
downclimbing
slickrock

A few housing structures come into view before the interesting geology is totally done, but a cairn at this point up on Canyon Left represents the property line boundary and indicates its time to exit up the ridge to the Left/East.

Exit cairn on Canyon Left

Exit[edit]

Follow the ridge through open juniper and some sage brush fields back to the car. For overland travel, this is pretty easy to find an unobstructed path on the ridge east of the canyon.

Exit ridge looking southwest
Exit ridge looking southeast

Red tape[edit]

Beta sites[edit]

Trip reports and media[edit]

Explored by Scott Patterson

16Oct2022 documented by Ira Lewis on a trip with Wayne Herrick

Background[edit]

The larger drainage to the east is reported to be non-technical; all drops can be up- and down-climbed.

Incidents

Credits

Information provided by automated processes. KML map by (unknown). Main photo by (unknown). Authors are listed in chronological order.

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