Sheep Creek Rock Climbing

You can acquire maps of Sheep and Willis Creeks at the Monument Visitors Center in Cannonville. Do not inquire about climbing, just directions. Drive south from the Visitors Center to the Skutumpah Road (a dirt BLM road #500). From here travel south on this for approximately 3 miles before reaching Sheep Creek Trail Head and later Willis Creek (pavement to trail head about 6.1 miles). Near the confluence of these two drainages is a nice panel of petroglyphs. It is specifically located on the high west bank of Willis Creek just as it meets Sheep Creek. There are a couple of trails to take you to the panel’s base. About ¼ mile up Sheep Creek from this confluence are some climbing possibilities. On the south side is a nice hand splitter and on the north is a large wall of huecos and holes making for fun climbing on suspect rock. Bring long runners to sling these. Just above this wall is (not visible or reachable from here) Ewe Tower. To climb here see Ewe Tower’s cover page.

These two drainages make a great hike when looped. A shuttle makes them even better. If you do not have a second car, a mountain bike is fine too. Start at either creek entrance and exit the other where you pick up the second vehicle or mountain bike you chained to a tree. There is a really fun alternative to this loop. If you drop in to the drainage between Sheep and Willis, namely Averett Gulch, there is an old stone memorial to private Averett. Here he was killed in an ambush during the Indian wars of the 1860s. Further down are two short rappels that get you into the best part of Willis Creek. Go down stream here reaching Sheep Creek and then up to its entrance. Or make it a shorter hike by exiting Averett into Willis and head up stream to the Willis Creek parking area.
Even though you will see climbing possibilities in Willis, please subdue the temptation. There are too many tourists, etc. who walk this and we want to avoid any and all confrontations. Sheep creek is another story.