San Rafael Swell - Chimney Canyon

M

MidwesternSlope

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Feb 17, 2025
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Greetings!

This is my first post here and I'll be heading down to the swell next week and doing 2 nights in Chimney Canyon. I've been trying to get any up to date info on road conditions to Tomsich butte and Hidden Splendor but BLM has no beta for me. I've a lot more experience with the north and east sides of the swell and have a few questions for anyone in the know:

1. Better to approach from i70 or Temple Mountain?

2. Are the roads decent? All BLM told me are that nobody had been down there and they are worse than the roads on the north end...Is it worse than the drive to the end of the road going towards Mexican Mountain, or Behind the reef to Crack canyon?

3. Any reason people usually seem to approach Chimney from Hidden Splendor instead of Tomsich? The shorter drive would be nice and distance didn't look too much longer but I only eyeballed it. Is the scenery drastically different on the approach?

4. Still reliable water in the south fork spring of Chimney?

Thanks for the help!
 
I don't have recent info for you but the roads into this area get a pretty decent amount of traffic and unless there's been some special event to damage them, you'll be fine in anything at least as capable as a subie. That is to say, I've seen subies down at the airstrip (which you need to be careful to not park on since it's actively used) although I've always been there in something more like a 4runner.

imo doesn't matter too much how to approach Hidden Splendor, it's very pretty and a long ass drive regardless.
 
I was last there in spring '24. If you just follow Google Maps directions from Green River via I-70 to Tomsich, the roads are excellent and fast. Maybe rougher the last 1/2 mile or something, but no problem.

To Chimney from Tomsich probably has better "big views" than from Hidden Splendor and you have a good old mining track to walk. I think the modern driving road that forks off to Hidden Splendor wasn't as nice as the rest, but it was fine. I'd just do the big loop from Tomsich and see it all if you have time--the entire Allen route.

Can't speak to the reliability of the water at the start of the South Fork, but miners used to live there full time so in any year other than this I'd feel very confident. Please just camp there at the chicken coop and comfy picnic table (yes!) instead of in the forks of Chimney.
 
Thanks for the info!
regehr said:
I don't have recent info for you but the roads into this area get a pretty decent amount of traffic and unless there's been some special event to damage them, you'll be fine in anything at least as capable as a subie. That is to say, I've seen subies down at the airstrip (which you need to be careful to not park on since it's actively used) although I've always been there in something more like a 4runner.

imo doesn't matter too much how to approach Hidden Splendor, it's very pretty and a long ass drive regardless.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info! You have some awesome post.
 
I agree there's likely to be water in Chimney. it has been a super dry year in far southern Utah but my reading is that the Swell hasn't been as bad.

however, one thing to keep in mind is that if you get skunked on water in Chimney, it's not totally straightforward to get down to the Muddy to get water. not technical, but not just a walk either.

anyhow, please let us know about conditions and post a pic or two!
 
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