Dominguez-Escalante National Conservation Area is home to Big Dominguez Canyon and some incredible landscapes that are perfect for any adventure seeker. The area attracts hikers, backpackers, and campers as they search for all the hidden gems the canyon has to offer.
In total, you are looking at a 12.3 mile out-and-back trail near Grand Junction, Colorado. Overall, this is an easy route that takes around 5 hours to complete. This canyon offers much more than a quick in-and-out hike can accommodate for. Spending the night would truly cap off a great adventure.
The trail is open year round, but in summer months the canyon becomes very hot. Always bring plenty of water for you and your dogs.
Find The Trailhead
If you are starting in Grand Junction, head 20 miles south on Highway 50. Turn west, onto Bridgeport Road and continue to the Bridgeport Trailhead 3 miles down. There are restrooms here and parking. If you continue down the road a bit further, there is an additional parking area.
Here is the location on Google Maps.
Once you arrive the trail head is clearly marked and the entire trail is very easy to follow. You will start by heading south alongside the railroad tracks until you come across a bridge that crosses the Gunnison River. Continue along as you enter the Dominguez Canyon Wilderness Area.
Once inside the wilderness, the waterfalls, swimming hole, and petroglyphs are free to explore.
Big Dominguez Canyon Swimming Hole
Colorado has some incredible swimming holes throughout the state including, and maybe the best, Paradise Cove. However, the Big Dominguez Canyon swimming hole is right up there too and is a true hidden gem.
Sticking to the Big Dominguez Canyon, the trail is easy to follow and leads you to a true paradise. Take some time to truly soak it in by jumping in and enjoying some relief from the heat. The water is fed by the Gunnison River and can be pretty chilly early in the year.
This is a long hike, but if you can stick it out a little longer continue down the trail to explore the petroglyphs.
Big Dominguez Canyon Petroglyphs
Continuing down the trail past the swimming hole along is where you can visit the primitive rock shelters and multiple petroglyphs decorating the sandstone rock. The drawings include a lot of animals and scenes from hunts. The ones below were presumed to be made by the Southern Ute Tribe due to the depiction of horses.
Moving down the trail you can continue to find these panels of drawings and more rock shelters. One was even rebuilt by copper miners while they worked the nearby river.
Big Dominguez Canyon Camping
As mentioned, there just isn’t enough time in a single day to truly take in all this area has to offer. We recommend backpacking in so you can better explore the 66,280 acres of protected BLM land. There are primitive campsites along the Gunnison River approximately a mile in from the Bridgeport trailhead. You can also find established campsites also at the Dominguez Campground which is located at the canyon’s southern trailhead.
You can also check out the Potholes Recreation Site which provides restrooms and is rarely crowded.
There is no camping near the confluence of Little and Big Dominguez Canyons or petroglyph sites.
If you are looking for other unique adventures. Check out our post on Off The Beaten Path, Colorado Adventures