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Elevation: 6,525 ft
GPS: 42.002, -105.4079
Google Map · Climbing Area Map
Page Views: 11,903 total · 81/month
Shared By: Dennis Horning on Feb 11, 2012
Admins: Noah Kaufman, Mike Snyder, Taylor Spiegelberg, Jake Dickerson
Warning Access Issue: There is a zone of private land on Duck Creek extending from House Log Creek to Pole Creek DetailsDrop down

Description Suggest change

Duck Creek runs across the total west to east span (11 MILES) of the LPWHMA. The canyon has many steep sections of good rock walls. Most of these do not exceed 400 feet. The rock is either granite or some metamorphic assortment but there are bold black dikes of peridotite that cut the country rock frequently. The rock at Duck Creek Falls is one of these obdurate dikes of peridotite and/or amphibolite. The stream is perennial.

Northwest of the NW boundary of LPWHMA Palmer Rd. crosses four diffent feeders of Duck Creek in the Duck Creek Slough (section 2,36,20,17). But there is no public access off of these particular crossings. While on these sections of public road is the closest you can 2WD drive to Duck Creek on public land.

From this huge fan like slough Duck Creek gathers waters and begins the rapid yet meandering trip down the longest rugged canyon of the Laramie Range to merge with the Laramie River just before exiting from the front range of WY onto the prairie. Professor Blackstone of UW thought Rock Creek which sources on the northeast corner of the Snowy Range once flowed eastward through this canyon but long ago was captured by a feeder of the Medicine Bow River. Perhaps it was a stream much larger than Duck Creek that cut this over-sized-for-the-stream canyon?

Getting There Suggest change

To get to the westmost region of Duck Creek that is open to the public enter at the Douthitt Parking lot (section 1) following the 2-track east and north. Consult maps, google earth and use a 4WD.

Walking down Hay Canyon from the end of the Hay Canyon 2-track (Section 2) is a good way to get to the Duck Creek Falls Region. A system of ledges on south side of Duck Creek Falls makes for easy passage through this section of the canyon. There is old mine adit perhaps 1/3 mile upstream from the falls on the south side of Duck Creek. The talus pile is visible at 40 feet high and a clue as to something out of the ordinary.

To get to middle Duck Creek Canyon drive past the Kennedy Ranch Rocks and east to where the 2-tack ends in a gulch. The crossing of Salt Creek during the spring of a wet year necessitates a 4WD. Hike down this gulch (aka Toni Gulch just north of Toni Ridge).

For an alternative way to the eastern most section of Duck Creek Canyon rather than using the Toni Gulch trail one can make use of the road to the Toaster Wall (this begins east of Elmers Rock) and continue about 3 miles to where this roads dead ends at a saddle. Begin your hike north through the saddle at the end of Elmers Road, side stepping some unattended private lands to the north.

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