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Vallecito Creek

A Colorado backyard paddling adventure in a wilderness setting - experts only!

story and photos by Dunbar Hardy

Getting Started

WHERE Vallecito Reservoir is 22 miles northeast of Durango
DIFFICULTY Class V - V+ (experts only)
LENGTH 1 mile
SHUTTLE Hike the trail from the parking lot in Vallecito Campground at the north end of Vallecito Reservoir
PUT-IN Just upstream of the first footbridge
TAKE-OUT Vallecito Campground
SEASON April - June
GRADIENT245 feet per mile
GAUGE 1.7 (low) - 2.5 (stompin’)
BETA riversports.com

Flowing through a sheer-walled granite gorge on the southern edge of the Colorado's Weminuche Wilderness, Vallecito Creek is committed Class V (V+) whitewater run for experts only. Having been described as the "best mile of boating in Colorado," the run is a wall-in adventure in a wilderness setting - no escape! - and one not to be taken lightly. Take extra care to check for appropriate water levels and strainers: high water can lodge wood in the gorge's tight spots. If the water level and wood factor look, this is the classic Class V run that Durango hardcore paddlers tackle after work.

The warm-up is the trail hike to the put-in. Uphill the entire way, everyone has to earn their turns on this one. Below the trail in the gorge, the creek roars with life, creating a mixed sense of dread and excitement with every step. Small views of the creek can be glimpsed from the trails but most of the run is too obscured below the steep trail to be scouted well.
The put-in is located upstream of the first foot bridge. Once on the water, take some breaths and prepare to plummet. Entrance Falls lies just below. The stout and sloping 18-foot waterfall comes fast. Approach with some speed, roll off the lip, spot your landing and then pull the trigger - BOOF! Upon landing in the swirly, small pool, you're committed - above are sheer walls and below is a raunchy rapid called Trashcan. It is as ugly as it sounds.
After doing battle in Trashcan, paddlers arrive at the lip of another big horizon line, which marks roughly the halfway point of the run. Finally, a relatively easy scout can be gained on river left of Fuzzy Bunny, a 12-foot vertical drop. Buck up and charge off the launch pad of Fuzzy Bunny and get ready pronto for Paddle Bitch, a three-tiered battle zone. Ugh! Get it together because you quickly arrive at a precarious perch at the lip of the ominous rapid called No Way Out. The downstream view is one of a whitewater maelstrom and requires a steely focus and a deep exhale before dropping in.
Arriving at the bottom of No Way Out, you can breathe a bit easier because the grasp of Vallecito has loosened. A strong and well-steered boof over The Finish Line will launch you past this final ledge hole. From here, the canyon walls open up and you can relax, enjoying the relief and exhilaration of paddling a commited but quality Class V creek. It's the feeling that keeps paddlers coming back for more.
Vallecito Creek requires respect. For your first run, it is best to have a local paddler guide you through the gorge. Scouting and portaging is not an option in many places.
If the water is at a good level and you have on your game face, then there really isn't a more rewarding Class V creek in all of the Southwest, and perhaps the entire state of Colorado.

Dunbar Hardy is the author of Paddling Colorado (Falcon Guidebooks). A long-time Durango resident, Hardy has traveled the world to paddle and considers Vallecito Creek to be the best Class V creek a paddler could have in the back yard