Bull Gulch
Wilderness Study Area

By Anne Hayden,
with Brandon Jett and George Harbour

“Another five minutes, and we’ll turn around.” Around 8:15 on Friday night, this was probably the fifth or sixth time this statement was uttered. At this point, our “back-up” spot was so far behind, it seemed we had to keep going and hope for the best.

With darkness falling and a chill in the air, Brandon finally announced from up ahead that he’d found a flat spot (relatively speaking). It was certainly not the most comfortable camping spot I’ve ever had, but the view was by far the most breathtaking. We set up camp just in time to watch the sun melt into the haze behind the Flat Tops Mountains.

The next day dawned bright. Sandstone pulsed red under a startling blue sky, and the expansive view filtered through sagebrush to a vision of the Colorado River and snow-covered mountains in the distance.

The river was our goal, via Bull Gulch. We wandered down the slope, scaring up grouse on the forested hillside, and then following game trails through the sagebrush into the gulch itself. On the way we found four shed antler racks, all still perfect in form and each one larger than the last. On the way out later that afternoon, we discovered three more.

Lizards darted into cracks as we wandered through the winding canyon. Sometimes flat and open, other times narrow, the canyon floor revealed what we had suspected: the area indeed supported a healthy wildlife population.

On the hike in, we had noticed numerous mule deer prints and scat. That and the steep and rugged topography supported our assumption that Bull Gulch was a place where predator species would thrive. Indeed, our trusted guidebook indicates that this area is home to mountain lions, coyotes, and bobcats. We examined the remains of mule deer and what appeared to be recent bird and rabbit ambush sites. Some say they hate to see signs of death, but we instead contemplate nature’s amazing recycling system. The death of the one creature immediately supports the life of another and many others afterward. That system has not yet been disrupted in this area.

We reached the Colorado River and soaked our feet briefly in the cold water. The few cars passing on the small dirt road across the river drove us away, however, and we soon disappeared again into the silent red rock halls.

That night, I looked up at the sky filled with stars, far too many to count. In fact, more than I ever remember seeing before. Everything about this place seems wild. That same thought was running through my head again on the hike out of Bull Gulch Wilderness Study Area. We hope it will stay that way for many years to come.