I can't really believe that I've been exploring the western United States for nearly five years now and have yet to spend any time in the San Rafael Swell. That's not entirely true - technically. I did camp one night on - what I now know to be - the extreme eastern edge of the Swell, just before a trip into The Maze with Ben @m3bassman and Zane @Speedytech7, but since then, I've never even driven through this amazing place on the highway!
This week would change all that. With eyeballs as big as saucers, I set about planning what I hoped would be an extensive foray into a place that I've only ever heard great things about. I knew it would be just the first of what would - hopefully - be many trips to this awesome place.
I had no idea at the time just how varied the San Rafael Swell really was. And so, thinking I knew what to expect, we set off south. Oh, did we get more than we ever thought possible. And boy, is there so much more to explore!
Come along then, as we head (mostly) west-to-east along I-70, forking off to the north and south to find some of the treasures - petroglyphs, pictographs, fantastic 4WD trails, and views into infinity - of this special place, including:
- Mussentuchit Wash (say that out loud
)
- Rochester Rock Art
- Ferron Box
- Molen Seep Wash
- Short Canyon
- Molen Reef
- Ascending Sheep Panel
- Sand Bench
- Sid and Charlie
- Broken Hearted Man
- Head of Sinbad
- Dutchman Arch
- Devil's Racetrack
- Fixit Pass
- Nielsen Dugway
- Temple Mountain Rd
- The Ocre Alcove
- Reds Canyon Loop and the Dirty Devil Mine
- Black Dragon Wash
- Spirit Arch and Petroglyph Canyon
- Buckhorn Wash
- The Wedge and Little Grand Canyon Overlook
And that's not all, whew!




