19,839 acres
Description
Bull Gulch cuts through the forested redrock country of the Colorado River upstream of Dotsero. The area spans a remarkable ecological transition between the alpine source of the Colorado and the desert canyon country through which the river travels on its way to the sea. Dropping precipitously from a forested rim at 9,700 feet, Bull Gulch slices through the deep red formations of Maroon Bells fame as it drains into the Colorado River at an elevation of 6,400 feet. The entrance to Bull Gulch is a labyrinth of twisting corridors and sculpted bowls carved through the maroon sandstone. The sound of the big river is replaced by the tinkle of dripping seeps that line the canyon walls. The Colorado River bounds the area on the west and offers whitewater boating opportunities. Dramatic views of the Flat Tops to the west are afforded from the area’s higher slopes.
