san rafael swell

In May 2013 we visited the Caineville area, but had no concept what to see. We left UT 24 for Caineville Wash Road and suddenly there was a spur going away from the road. After a short distance there was some pavement in the middle of the Caineville Wash Valley. A Road? I doubt! Length of...

I did it! I finally escaped a keeper pothole all my by self! (well almost, Josh threw the potshots haha). Ever since my trip through Quandary canyon last year, I have wanted to go back and lead a group of my own through that beautiful canyon. My first trip was wonderful, but I didn't get the...

North Fork Coal Canyon in the western San Rafael Swell is one of our favorites. In 2013 we visited the canyon again. Years before we traveled the area with a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a second time with a Chevrolet Trailblazer. This time we are with a Jeep Wrangler. Start point is where Coal...

Eva Conover Road travels from I 70 not far away from Ghost Rock down into South Fork Coald Wash. Its a pretty rough road once built to explore this part of the Swell because some peaple - especially Eva Conover from Ferron wanted a State Park established. Traveling I 70 westbound you find 2.2...

On Sunday, Dad and I hiked Steve Allen's Grotto Canyon loop trail in the Northern San Rafael Reef. The Tidwell Draw road out to the trailhead was in rough shape. It was the worst I have seen it in. I had to use four wheel drive a couple times to get through washouts. But we finally got to the...

On the 21st--yet another mild February day--I tagged along on a trip that Wade planned into McCarty Canyon. I absolutely love this type of route! Several parts of Wade's route looked impossible from the satellite views, but in reality it worked out to be a wonderful hike with some scrambling...

A few weeks ago some old friends spent the weekend in Price and we hit up a few spots in the northern San Rafael Swell on Valentine's Day. We entered the Swell via Cleveland and made our first stop in a small drainage coming off the northwest side of Cedar Mountain. There we checked out a...

After spending the previous day in Nine Mile Canyon and seeing some high-up rock art from a distance, I returned to climb high above the canyon floor to get a closer look. First, I stopped to look for a petroglyph site that Celia had told me about the day before. There's a "First Site" in...

On Sunday, February 1st, I met up with Randy (@IntrepidXJ) and Diane in Wellington and we drove to Nine Mile Canyon to revisit some rock art sites and look for new ones. I'd already been to the first place we hiked to, though I noticed a few things I hadn't before. I'd seen this petroglyph...

East Cedar Mountain has been on my list for a long time. I first read about it Michael Kelsey's book. So finally I decided to give it a shot on Sunday. I drove down to Emery and then took the Miller Canyon road down to I-70. From there it was all dirt roads to Cedar Mountain. The drive in was...

Saturday, February 7, 2015 Yes, I am aware that the title of this trip report doesn't make much sense, but that's OK since I liked the sound of it. Way back in June of 2011 I was hiking with my friend Philippe at the edge of the San Rafael Swell when we discovered a new Barrier Canyon Style...

Sunday, January 25, 2015 A few years ago Marty and I had spent our New Year's Eve along the San Rafael Reef in search of rock art. That day we found some new panels but were unable to find a few others. We decided to head back there today so we could try again. I met Marty in Green River at...

In August I did a solo hike through Hell Roaring Canyon that was a little challenging--especially getting my dogs up the canyon's exit near the end of the hike. This weekend I did the same hike with five people (me, Alan, Wade and his son, and Chris), five dogs (my two Brittanys, Alan's two...

This is one of my all time favorite trips down to Southern Utah. First up, Black Dragon Canyon. Driving my huge Tahoe all the way through this canyon was fun but I took a beating. My friends who had smaller vehicles could just go around all of the obstacles, I had to drive over everything. We...

October 2011 The San Rafael Swell is a big place. So I suppose it's a bit odd that this trip report takes place mostly in two opposite corners of The Swell. But that's just the kind of trip it was. Not a lot accomplished but a relaxing time none the less. The original plan for this weekend was...

This is a short story of an interesting detour. Maybe not for the beginner from Europe who might be interested in the big picture only. But if one has roamed the country for more than 30 years details are becoming more and more fascinating. Driving on Buckhorn Draw Road from the San Rafael...

This is an old story out of 2006. Pictures are scanned analog slides (grainy!) with limited quality. Therefore the size is limited too. There were stories in a book and a black and white picture from the Lower Black Box of the San Rafael River and an old sheep bridge. (We got a glimpse of the...

This trip report is based on the second half of a trip to the Moab area (the 1st half being in The Maze), with the theme being an enjoyable few days spent with Backcountrypost member glasterpiece. The connection between us strangers began when I posted looking for Halls Creek hiking partners...

Heading back from Lone Tree Wedge we decide to stroll through the area for another two hours or so. At first we were heading to Mussentuchit Flat and going South to Cedar Mountain. Years ago we visited some point on the south end above Chimney Canyon where a trail starts down into the Chute...

Coming from Blue Flat and Mesa Butte we decide to head in an eastern direction at 12S 0485090 4285470. Two Miles farther - 12S 0487750 4285730 - this road turns north towards Lone Tree Crossing but we use a smaller trail to the east. The trail is not especially difficult nor is the landscape...