Dimple Dell: Dry Creek Loop

 Dimple Dell Regional Park is a large park with over 15 miles of trails. We have done almost all of it, but this is the first time we have done this loop, as well as this trailhead. It features mountain and gully views, scrub oak forests, and a creek.

We have had a very busy Holiday weekend, so I just wanted something a little shorter. Plus, as usual, we were getting a later start. So, I thought we would come check this one out. It didn’t look much longer than the Flanders Point Loop.

Quick Details:

Length: We did a 1.37 mile balloon. But I think I cut the east bit a little short.
Trail Type: Balloon, out and back, connector.
Difficulty: DR3. It was a a pretty mild climb.
Elevation Gain: About 225 feet.
Restroom: No. There is one at the nearby Dimple Dell Road TH to the east, or the Badger Cove Trailhead to the west.
Dogs? Yes, leashed.
Other Info: As with most trails in Dimple Dell, this trail starts at the top, which means you will be returning uphill.

To Get Here:

Take i15 to 106th south heading east. Follow the road past 13th east until it ends at a T junction with Dimple Dell Road to the left or 2125 East to the right. Go left. About 475 feet later Dimple Dell Road will swing to the right (east). There is a very small dirt parking lot at that elbow on the left.

Super low clouds today (Passenger Seat Photography (PSP)).

The valley (PSP).

Mountains and clouds (PSP).

The small parking lot will fit 2, maybe 3 cars top without blocking the emergency access gate.

Be sure not to block this private driveway next to it.

The Trail:

The trail is next to the emergency access gate. Be sure you do not block it either.

Some flowers hanging on.

View west.

The trail down. As far as trails heading down into the gulley it is not so bad. There are definitely worse ones. Just remember, you have to climb back up this on the way back.

Through the scrub oak.

More scrub oak.

It snowed this morning. Some of it is still hanging on. I think this was really the first valley snow of the season.

The other side of the canyon, towards the Primrose Loop. You can also see the Highland Drive Scar on the left. 

I say this every time we cross it, but there were maybe still are plans to push Highland Drive across the gully. I really hope it never happens. I am not sure what the scar is though, perhaps they started to develop it? Whatever it is, it looks like they are now revegetating it.

For a minute I thought this was where the loop started and I was mad it was fenced.. but it is not.

Not much of a trail the other direction, so it must be a little further down.

The trail goes through this little gate.

More scrub oak.

Little trail split. They both lead to the upper part of the loop, so it really just depends which way you want to go. For whatever reason I opted to go left, or clockwise today. 

The upper part of the loop. And a trail leading directly down to the lower part.

Heading west. The upper trail follows a little bench along the south side of the gully.

The trail goes through a restoration area on either side of it. I am not 100% sure, but I think this is the highland drive scar they are trying to revegetate.

View up. Some building and a cell tower.

These McMansions have large, mostly useless backyards. But alright.

Continuing along the little bench.

Tennis and basketball courts. That must be fun to climb down to and back up so you can play tennis.

There is a mess of trails through here. I generally took what seemed to be the wider trail, and that worked out for us today.

View down canyon.

This property appears to at least have a farm of some sort.

Old windmill.

More trail splits. I think we went right here.

Through the scrub oak.

Right again. Oi.

A little bit more thin, but it is heading the way I think we need to go.

I was having a couple concerns as to if we were on the right path. Eh, worse case scenario, we turn around and go back the way we came.

It seems to just keep going down. Quite a bit more than expected.

Eventually we hit the Dry Creek Trail. Phew! To complete the loop, you want to hang right. Or you can follow it down to the west for a while, and even connect to the Badger Cove Trailhead. But, we are going right, or east.

Continuing east.

Dry Creek.

More snow.

Spooky woods.

Dry Creek being dry.

More snow.

Of the 4 main trails in the gully, the Dry Creek Trail has the least amount of signage I think, and quite a few more trail splits. It can be a frustrating trail to follow. We have done it in sections, but honestly I am not 100% sure we have done the entire intended trail. But I made good choices today and kept us on the main trail.

The mountains obscured by clouds.

These are weird looking.

Forest.

This trail is a little frustrating, but hey, at least we didn’t end up in the creek bed this time!

Scrub oaks up on the bench above.

Lots of leaf litter.

Another restoration area. We have been through this one before.

Under the cell tower again.

Continuing along. It is very sandy through here.

Dry Creek.

Oh, I can make out the bottoms of the mountains now.

Dry Creek.

Okay, I recognize that trail up to the upper trail on the bench above. Another worse case scenario we come back this way if it gets too dark, or the snow picks up again.

Sagebrush.

Mountains again.

Bottom of the gully.

Sandy cliff.

Dry Creek.

The creek and I am pretty sure that is the connector up to the Mountain View Trail I tend to use when doing the Dry Creek Trail, from either end. It is roughly halfway between the Wrangler Trailhead and the Dimple Dell Road Trailhead.

Mountains above the gully.

With a spooky tree.

Sandy cliffs.

Continuing along.

Well, the fact that it was getting dark, and a possible storm might be coming in, I decided to take this split up, even though I was pretty sure the loop kept going to the east a little further. I didn’t want to be stuck in the dark or a storm on a trail I am not at all familiar with. I did confirm my pedometer track map against the official map, and yea, it does go a little further. Meh, next time we will go the other way.

Quick view to the east.

Heading back east.

The other side of the gully.

View down canyon.

Continuing along. The bench is a bit more narrow on this side.

The upper and lower trails in one shot.

Clouds.

Snowy trail.

The other side of the gully.

I recognized the area we came down, so it was not an issue getting us back up the connector trail. I am glad we turned back when we did, it is starting to get dark.

One last view down.

Back through the gate.

The climb up out of the gully. Like I said, it is not the worst one at all.

Clouds.

The other side again.

Continuing up.

Back to the trailhead.

Just in time! We didn’t get more than a mile down the road before the flurries started, and just down the hill before the skies let loose.

Well, this was the perfect little trail to squeeze in today! It was nice to explore this little nook of the canyon for the first time. I am sad/glad we missed a little bit of the east end, but hey, it just means we will need to do it again sometime! And, I am glad we didn’t get caught in the snow. I was actually kind of surprised we passed a person on the trail, but it was just the one.  9 out of 10 squirrels. losing the 1 due to the web of trails and lack of signs.

As for difficulty, mostly flat, with a couple little climbs. DR3.

Dogs are allowed in Dimple Dell, leashed. Please clean up after your furry friends.