I do the hike as a day hike SEVERAL times throughout the whole year. The Spring and Fall are the most temperature frieldly times to hike, but don't miss out in the heat of the summer. If you can handle a desert hike this is one to do! Start out early in the morning and plan on spending lunch at the waterfall. In the high summer, the water flow is low enough that you can enjoy the pool at the bottom of the waterfall (possibly a 5.4 climb down or less) or any of the three pools that are stacked about .25 miles before the big waterfall. If you have a few days to spend I would definately suggest doing the Big and Little Dominguez loop, of if only a weekend, the Big canyon is 16 miles. A great two day trip with petroglyphs and water applenty!
started at Cactus Park Trailhead - a long way to get to the start of the trailhead, but definitively worth it! A beautiful canyon, beautiful scenery, petroglyphs etc.
Partner: Duchess
2 more visits from Bridgeport TH - lovely outings with my son and Duchess.
seldomseenjerin - Jan 23, 2011 7:30 pm Date Climbed: Jan 1, 2011
great place to camp and hike
Dominguez and Escalante comprise two of my favorite places in Colorado.
jfrishmanIII - Sep 22, 2009 10:20 am Date Climbed: Feb 20, 2008
A couple times
Explored Big and Little from the bottom a few times in winter 07-08. Great place, lots of interesting little secrets to be found! I saw bighorns every time I went.
Scott - Sep 22, 2009 8:52 am Date Climbed: May 26, 2001
Big/Little Dominguez Loop
March 5 2023
Kim, Kessler, and I hiked Big Dominguez Canyon to the Junction. The trail was dry and it was a great hike.
July 16 2022
Kessler and I canoed the Gunnison River from Escalante Creek to Bridgeport. Near the end we stopped at Big Dominguez Creek to do a short hike to and around the waterfall.
July 4 2022
My dad, Shaylee, Kim, and I hiked up Big Dominguez Canyon to the first four petroglyph panels. It wasn't too hot for July since we could soak clothes and hats in the first waterfall.
The petroglyphs were nice.
June 19 2022
Kim and I hiked up Big Dominguez Creek to the third petroglyph panel. The first waterfall was flowing well, but unfortunately Big Dominguez Creek above the confluence is just a trickle.
June 7 2022
In the late evening, Kim and I hiked to the first falls in Big Dominguez Canyon. It was hot, but I got wet before we started the hike and also in waterfall. It was a nice hike.
September 6 2021
Kim and I started at Bridgeport and hiked to Dominguez Canyon. We took a break at the first waterfall and then hiked up Big Dominguez before turning left and hiking up Little Dominguez.
We decided on Little Dominguez since we hadn't been up Little in many years. We hiked up to the homestead and explored around before heading back down.
It was a hot day, but we were able to stay wet by getting into the creek.
May 10 2020
Kim, Ali, and I headed for Big Dominguez Canyon. We hiked up canyon to the 4th waterfall, passing several petroglyph panels along the way. It was a great hike.
March 23 2020
Kimberly, Shaylee, and I hiked Big Dominguez Canyon. It was a nice day, but a little breezy at times. We hiked to the second panel of petroglyphs before returning to the trailhead.
June 16 2019
In the afternoon, Shaylee and I hiked Big Dominguez Canyon from the top end. We saw a lot of ducks and since the elevation was relatively high, it wasn't too hot.
May 26 2019
Justin, Shaylee, Kimberly, and I parked at Bridgeport and hiked up Big Dominguez Canyon. We found a perfect lunch spot and relaxed in the shade. We stopped at two of the biggest waterfalls and overlooked another. We saw three nice petroglyph panels, one of which was observed by binoculars.
May 25-28 2001
My brother, dad, wife and I did a three day loop down Little Dominguez and up Big Dominguez over Memorial Day Weekend.
I've made several trips into the Dominguez Canyons area. I love scrambling through Big Dominguez's main drainage. Its a fantastic place thats a quick drive from my home!
Kessler - Nov 4, 2015 11:48 pm
Big DominguezMay 2014
adunn101 - Apr 21, 2012 11:13 pm
Purely Awesome!I do the hike as a day hike SEVERAL times throughout the whole year. The Spring and Fall are the most temperature frieldly times to hike, but don't miss out in the heat of the summer. If you can handle a desert hike this is one to do! Start out early in the morning and plan on spending lunch at the waterfall. In the high summer, the water flow is low enough that you can enjoy the pool at the bottom of the waterfall (possibly a 5.4 climb down or less) or any of the three pools that are stacked about .25 miles before the big waterfall. If you have a few days to spend I would definately suggest doing the Big and Little Dominguez loop, of if only a weekend, the Big canyon is 16 miles. A great two day trip with petroglyphs and water applenty!
Liba Kopeckova - Mar 25, 2011 9:55 pm
great hike...started at Cactus Park Trailhead - a long way to get to the start of the trailhead, but definitively worth it! A beautiful canyon, beautiful scenery, petroglyphs etc.
Partner: Duchess
2 more visits from Bridgeport TH - lovely outings with my son and Duchess.
seldomseenjerin - Jan 23, 2011 7:30 pm Date Climbed: Jan 1, 2011
great place to camp and hikeDominguez and Escalante comprise two of my favorite places in Colorado.
jfrishmanIII - Sep 22, 2009 10:20 am Date Climbed: Feb 20, 2008
A couple timesExplored Big and Little from the bottom a few times in winter 07-08. Great place, lots of interesting little secrets to be found! I saw bighorns every time I went.
Scott - Sep 22, 2009 8:52 am Date Climbed: May 26, 2001
Big/Little Dominguez LoopMarch 5 2023
Kim, Kessler, and I hiked Big Dominguez Canyon to the Junction. The trail was dry and it was a great hike.
July 16 2022
Kessler and I canoed the Gunnison River from Escalante Creek to Bridgeport. Near the end we stopped at Big Dominguez Creek to do a short hike to and around the waterfall.
July 4 2022
My dad, Shaylee, Kim, and I hiked up Big Dominguez Canyon to the first four petroglyph panels. It wasn't too hot for July since we could soak clothes and hats in the first waterfall.
The petroglyphs were nice.
June 19 2022
Kim and I hiked up Big Dominguez Creek to the third petroglyph panel. The first waterfall was flowing well, but unfortunately Big Dominguez Creek above the confluence is just a trickle.
June 7 2022
In the late evening, Kim and I hiked to the first falls in Big Dominguez Canyon. It was hot, but I got wet before we started the hike and also in waterfall. It was a nice hike.
September 6 2021
Kim and I started at Bridgeport and hiked to Dominguez Canyon. We took a break at the first waterfall and then hiked up Big Dominguez before turning left and hiking up Little Dominguez.
We decided on Little Dominguez since we hadn't been up Little in many years. We hiked up to the homestead and explored around before heading back down.
It was a hot day, but we were able to stay wet by getting into the creek.
May 10 2020
Kim, Ali, and I headed for Big Dominguez Canyon. We hiked up canyon to the 4th waterfall, passing several petroglyph panels along the way. It was a great hike.
March 23 2020
Kimberly, Shaylee, and I hiked Big Dominguez Canyon. It was a nice day, but a little breezy at times. We hiked to the second panel of petroglyphs before returning to the trailhead.
June 16 2019
In the afternoon, Shaylee and I hiked Big Dominguez Canyon from the top end. We saw a lot of ducks and since the elevation was relatively high, it wasn't too hot.
May 26 2019
Justin, Shaylee, Kimberly, and I parked at Bridgeport and hiked up Big Dominguez Canyon. We found a perfect lunch spot and relaxed in the shade. We stopped at two of the biggest waterfalls and overlooked another. We saw three nice petroglyph panels, one of which was observed by binoculars.
May 25-28 2001
My brother, dad, wife and I did a three day loop down Little Dominguez and up Big Dominguez over Memorial Day Weekend.
dakotaconcrete - Sep 20, 2009 9:12 pm
Great Place Close to HomeI've made several trips into the Dominguez Canyons area. I love scrambling through Big Dominguez's main drainage. Its a fantastic place thats a quick drive from my home!