Weehawken Creek
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| | Raps:7-10, max ↨130ft
Red Tape:No permit required Shuttle:None Vehicle:Passenger Rock type:San Juan Volcanic Tuff, Quartzite, Cutler Sandstone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 8 Aug 2025
"Busy day with the festival going on. 3 groups for a total of 17 people all reached R1 at the same which slowed down a few of the initial rappels. Our |
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| Best season: | Aug-Oct
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37.9979, -107.7185
37.9940, -107.7004
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Waterflow
Introduction[edit]
For big flowing waterfalls, this one is the best in Ouray and should not be attempted by beginners. The waterfalls and rappels through the waterfalls are in a class of it's own in Ouray. This is a beautiful canyon, one of the best in the region.
The difficulty of Weekhawken is highly dependent on the amount of water. This can be a high flow canyon with significant challenge and danger in some years and yet much more manageable in years with lower snow pack. Climate change seems to be lessening the flow seen in Weehawken, but remember that when it was first descended in the early 2000s, many tough rappels could be bypassed using trees or downclimbs next to the falls. That always remains an option and is noted in the Descent beta where possible.
Depending on the previous season's snow pack, Weehawken is known for a snow tunnel at the bottom of R3 with a beautiful dripping and sculpted roof. This changes from year to year from having a melted out roof (Aug 2014), stretching nearly 300 feet long (Aug 2015), being completely absent (Aug 2018), or half collapsed (Aug 2025).
Reminder: Review team whistle signals with before the first rappel to communicate over the loudness of the waterfalls, specifically the several rappels where line-of-sight is not possible.
Reminder: Contingency rigging is best practice.
Reminder: All rappelers should have mastery of rope management and proper body posture to negotiate consolidated flow in a big flowing waterfall spout.
Approach[edit]
From Ouray Hot Springs Park, drive south on Highway 550 for 0.8 miles and turn right where you see a sign for Box Canyon Falls on the left and a sign for Camp Bird Road/Yankee Boy Basin on the right, or County Road 361. Follow CR 361 for 2.7 miles. Park at the Weehawken Creek Trailhead sign on the right. There is room for 3-4 groups and more cars if groups double park themselves. More parking is available across the road or at the exit by the bridge over the creek.
Hike up the Weehawken Creek Trail, which is exposed to the morning sun and climbs sharply in the beginning. After 1.3 miles at the junction with the Alpine Mine Trail, stay left on the Weehawken Creek Trail. Stay on the Weehawken Creek Trail for another 1.2 miles where an old sign indicates a junction with the Weehawken Mine Trail, which is less traveled. Rappelling a gully dirt slope from trees on the rim at the Weehawken Mine will allow an alternate entrance between Miner's Gate and R4, which skips the rockfall hazard at R3.
Teams now consistently continue on the Weehawken Creek Trail to gain the basin above and rappel the top (3) waterfalls, R1-R3. Hike the trail to a drainage at (38.00210, -107.72520), walk this down to Weehawken Creek and continue downstream to suit up at the top of R1.
Descent[edit]
The first three rappels are accessed by hiking up to (38.00210, -107.72520) and hiking down to and downstream in Weehawken Creek to 10,200'.
To skip the rockfall potential or higher water flow at R3, take the fork at the trail junction (37.99960, -107.71740) left to Weehawken Mine, rappel the dirt hillside and begin below R3.
R1: 25' from rock pinch just rappeller's left of the watercourse. The anchor location allows rappelling dry or in the flow.
R2: 45' from a rock pinch at the top of the falls. A small tree DCL allows bypassing the flow with a 45' dry rappel. Rappelling in the flow here introduces the team of what's to come considering it is the first committing corridor requiring careful foot placement and body movement in the full flow.
Upper Weehawken Falls
R3: 130' from a tree slung higher DCR. Access the tree via ledges DCR starting further back, about halfway from the bottom of R2 and the starting platform of R3.
Caution! R3 has been known for rockfall and is challenging in bigger water
The rock layer at the top of R3 is conglomerate and the canyon has not yet cut into the harder quartzite below. These larger American-football-size boulders have come loose in high winds and fallen into the waterfall while people were rappelling, However, as of 2025, most people rappel through the R1-R3 sequence and no one has reported rockfall at R3. Still, vacate the bottom of the falls as soon as possible and use a longer rope if teams wish to provide a fireman's belay.
R3 advice from previous beta input:
In big water, it is safest to cross through the waterfall as quickly as possible near the top in this nearly vertical rappel. Keep your head in close to the wall for a slimmer profile while getting hammered by the intense flow and dangling a pack between the legs. Near accidents have occurred on this drop due to the rappel rope dislodging rocks, some as big as footballs. Have your teammates move away from the edge so they do not kick rocks on those who are rappelling. Windy days and rope pull may also dislodge rocks. Move away from the bottom of the falls once you are done with your rappel.
More history: The top three drops were rappelled as early as 2002. By 2005, after several rappels down R3 (just above the snow tunnel), R3 was decided to not be ideal - multiple rocks, up to football-sized, have come down here while rappelling. One almost caused an accident. Maybe it has cleaned up some, but it is recommended for safety to enter the canyon at Weehawken Mine above R4. Follow the Weehawken Mine trail down to the mine then look for a spot at the rim of the canyon to the southwest of the mine where there are some trees where you can rappel down to the stream on a steep dirt slope. From here you can easily hike upstream for about 10 minutes and see the Upper Weehawken Falls (R3) and the snow tunnel. You do not miss much with this entrance - the first two rappels are short, the third is pretty but seen from the bottom, and you won't miss the snow tunnel. Plus you can see part of Ouray's mining history at the mine.
If you are ok risking rockfall at R3, then instead of going to the mine, stay right and follow the Weehawken Creek Trail for another 0.5 miles. The trail climbs steeply once again with switchbacks. Continue for a half mile at the 10,400 foot level. When you reach a gully, which will be dry most of the time, head down the gully to the watercourse. If you get to the North Fork, noticeable by a trickle of water flowing, and a view of chossy peaks to the right, you have gone too far. You can follow the North Fork to the main watercourse in this case.
Snow Tunnel: Near the bottom of Upper Weehawken Falls (R3) a snow tunnel forms in most non-drought years. It was called the Tunnel of Love by the first explorers.
Joining the canyon from the early entrance at the end of the Weehawken Mine Trail lands everyone in the canyon just above R4. Hike upstream to see the snow tunnel and bottom of R3. This is noted as being safer in higher volume flow. There is not a way to avoid rappelling in the R3 falls above.
R4: 85' from a log at the top of the chute. Popular consensus is rappelling through the flow in R4 is the most memorable rappel in the canyon! Carefully rappel down the first few drops around the careening water with careful foot placements in the slippery corridor, then contend with the roostertail at the end. This is considered to be the crux of the canyon. However, it can be avoided entirely using a tree DCR. Both paths have a short free hang before ending at the bottom in The Alcove.
R4 advice from previous beta input:
Anchoring off a log in the middle of the watercourse and descending directly in the flow, makes for an intense pounding depending on the water flow and a potentially dangerous descent due to the V you get pushed into that the intense flow keeps you in. There is no way to communicate in this situation.
The Inner Gorge starts at The Alcove and ends when a tributary stream enters DCL.
R5: 45' from bolts canyon right, for a rappelling line out of the flow. Some years, these need to be unburied from flood activity. If rigging for contingency, consider replacing with a clove hitch block for the last person. One team reported needing to reascend after a figure 8 got stuck on the ring preventing pulling the rope down.
R5, a quick reminder especially for this location: never equalize unlinked ring anchors with webbing as equalizing creates a pocket, which floods would then apply excessive force onto the bolts. Instead feed the line through both rings and block on one side.
R6: 65' from a chockstone or a log in middle of watercourse for two stages. The first stage can often be downclimbed, but the 15' drop at the end of the pool requires a rope.
R7: 25' from bolts on the wall DCL.
In some years, another snow tunnel appears below R7.
R8: 55' from a tree DCR down an easy dry staircase with some loose rocks for a dry rappel.
In some years, another snow tunnel appears below R8.
Streamwalk a half mile between R8 and The Crystal Section.
DC/R: a short two-stage drop is often downclimbed, but building a cairn anchor may be preferred depending on conditions.
The Crystal Section
This entire section has been downclimbed, which may be helpful information depending on conditions. Most rappel through the water flow.
Beware of loose rocks and flakes in this section.
R9: 40' from a log at the start of the corridor for a two-stage drop. The first stage can be downclimbed DCR.
R10: 45' from a log in the pool at the bottom of R9 through the bottom of the V-slot into the potential hydraulic pothole. While intimidating and forceful, the V-slot does not seem to present a foot entrapment issue. It is relatively straightforward to stem around average flow in this chute.
<iR10 advice from previous beta input:
At this point the entire watercourse squeezes into a tight V with very powerful laminar flow and drops into a severe boil which may be dangerously deep in bigger water conditions: a 6 foot man went in over his head. It is best to straddle the waterfall the entire way down with very careful steps all the way to the bottom. Send the best rappeller down first. Position a helper on the lip at the edge of the boil ready to assist.
R11: 30' from a log spanning the top of the falls. This has been downclimbed DCR.
Lower Weehawken Falls is the final rappel and has oscillating flowing through its channel on DCR or DCL from year to year.
R12: 90' from a rock pinch center canyon or a tree DCL. Rappel in the flow or dry based on water flow and comfort level.
DCs: After the final waterfall, downclimb through several giant boulder piles where the Cutler sandstone layer starts to show itself until the creek evens out and the Camp Bird Road crosses at the bridge.
Exit[edit]
After the final rappel, follow the creek until the bridge of Camp Bird Road.
Red tape[edit]
The entire Weehawken drainage has been proposed for wilderness protection, as part of the Whitehouse extension to the Mount Sneffels Wilderness. Please treat this canyon like wilderness. Practice leave-no-trace techniques.
Beta sites[edit]
Canyoning in the Colorado San Juan Mountains Book by Ira Lewis
Current Water Level Assessment from Canyoning Colorado: https://canyoningcolorado.com/canyon-reports
Super Amazing Map : Weehawken
Trip reports and media[edit]
Candition.com : Weehawken
early 2000s: first descent occurred over several years at a time when Weehawken flowed at a higher water volume. Weehawken Creek is one of the Ouray classics appearing in every guidebook as early as 2009.
2025-Aug: beta update for consistency by Ira Lewis after a descent at the 2025 annual Ouray Canyon Festival