San Rafael Swell

[ebryson]

What are some cool places to visit in the Swell? Finally able to test out my little TJ out in the dirt!

 

[Greg]

Lots to see! Far as old Indian drawings, the Buckhorn Pictograph panel is awesome. There is also the Lone Warrior, the Head of Sinbad and the Black Dragon and adjacent other art work near by.

For as places to go & see, The Wedge Overlook is pretty breathtaking, Copper Globe Road is rough and pretty challenging but there are some amazing abandoned mines to explore out that way, Eagle Canyon is a fun and scenic drive that ends up crossing under the I70 freeway bridges, Black Dragon Canyon is impressive, hidden right next to the freeway, Temple Mountain road has some epic veiws. Down that way there's also Goblin Valley, some near by slot canyons (Little Wild Horse & Bell Canyon as well as Ding & Dang Canyons, which are more difficult).

There is a LOT to see in the Swell... all depends on the time you have available. Best thing is to plan out a trip and decide what you can do, based on that time.

 

[boogie_4wheel]

I took one of my kids down there a couple years ago for an overnight camping trip.
We left SLC in the morning; went to the Hamburger Rocks, Wedge Overlook, then down the Buckhorn Draw Rd stopping at the Dinosaur Footprint and every Pictograph Panel all the way to the river. Then we backtracked a little bit and spent the night in the cave (it rained horribly).

We did the trip in a older Ford Escape. The 'rough' terrain was continuing East from the Hamberger Rocks. Easy going for a TJ.

I would love to do a 2 or 3 night trip and continue by dirt to Goblin Valley.

 

[ebryson]

This will be just an over night trip, would there be anything would test my TJ at all? Flex it out a bit maybe?

 

[Hickey]

This will be just an over night trip, would there be anything would test my TJ at all? Flex it out a bit maybe?

Black Dragon Canyon would.

 

[ebryson]

My father and I plan on going March 31st through April 1st and possibly the 2nd, anyone is else come to join us.

 

[mbryson]

Please comment on our planned route. I'm new to "expo". Heading to Ferron, Neilsen Dugway, Eva Conover, Eagle Canyon. Probably find somewhere to hang for the night around there. Next day we plan to head past Head of Sinbad, Cane Wash to the San Rafael Bridge-Buckhorn Wash. From there do we head to CastleDale or head towards Hwy 6?

Hoping the MJ is done and this will be the maiden voyage for that. To much to bite off?

 

[Hickey]

Next day we plan to head past Head of Sinbad, Cane Wash to the San Rafael Bridge-Buckhorn Wash. From there do we head to CastleDale or head towards Hwy 6?

Hoping the MJ is done and this will be the maiden voyage for that. To much to bite off?

There are a lot of places to camp east of Head of Sinbad. Buckhorn Wash takes you straight into Castle Dale.

 

[moab_cj5]

Please comment on our planned route. I'm new to "expo". Heading to Ferron, Neilsen Dugway, Eva Conover, Eagle Canyon. Probably find somewhere to hang for the night around there. Next day we plan to head past Head of Sinbad, Cane Wash to the San Rafael Bridge-Buckhorn Wash. From there do we head to CastleDale or head towards Hwy 6?

Hoping the MJ is done and this will be the maiden voyage for that. To much to bite off?

I was just down there this weekend. Eva Connover and Eagle Canyon take 3-4 hours to complete. Nothing too tough. You can camp near the Swasey Cabin, or near the Lone Warrior panel. We camped near Lone Warrior. There are TONS of things to see down there.

If you want some challenge, check out Devil's Racetrack and Fix It Pass.

 

[mbryson]

MJ will be close but probably won't make it down. I'll tow my "Jeep" down and park the Sub/trailer somewhere.

 

[moab_cj5]

MJ will be close but probably won't make it down. I'll tow my "Jeep" down and park the Sub/trailer somewhere.

There are places to park around Swasey's Cabin, or near the 131 exit on I-70. You could do Fix it Pass and Devil's Racetrack for a fun round trip with some good challenges.

 

[mbryson]

We are headed down earlyish tomorrow. Hope to leave Woods Cross at 8 am or a little earlier? Get down to Ferron and find a place to park the Suburban/trailer. See what happens from there. @ebryson will be driving his TJ behind/ahead of the Sub/trailer combo. We'll be running CB channel 4 on the way down. Join us if you like. We will be navigating by map (which isn't so bad) but I can't imagine we won't take a few wrong turns and such. That's part of the fun, though.

 

[Kevin B.]

Wish I could make it. Have fun!

 

[mbryson]

We are hitting the Museum of the San Rafael in Castle Dale. Heading east towards Fuller Bottom Draw. We’ll head up South Coal Wash through Eagle Canyon, then up through Cane Wash and back to towards Buckhorn Well. See how long that takes

 

[mbryson]

We are going the reverse route on the advice of the museum

 

[mbryson]

Yesterday we parked at Buckhorn We’ll. Drive down Buckhorn Wash and to the Swasey Bridge. Found trail 643 (Cane Wash) and cruised that to Sinbad.

@ebryson struggled a couple of spots but nothing serious. He walked through a spot and I couldn’t follow in 2WD low. I had to get out and lock the hubs.

Camped overnight near Swaseys Cabin. Plan to go up Eagle Canyon. At the intersection where we turn off to Fuller Bottom we’ll check our gas. If Eric is low, we’ll burn over to Ferron and get some gas. We will hit the Wedge overlook before loading up .

 

[mbryson]

Uploading a couple pics from yesterday. Hitting Eva Conover trail at 10:50

 

[mbryson]

...and we have a little fuel pump failure of some kind

 

[mbryson]

Next stop Groggs

 

[mbryson]

We missed Groggs looking for a Shell station (had gift cards). Had some Cafe Rio in American Fork with @Maverick

We had a GREAT trip. @ebryson had a fuel pump hiccup just after we started down Eva Conover. We futzed around with it for a while and decided to flat tow it back to the trailer.

I ended up driving my “Jeep” home while @ebryson towed with the Suburban. It was an experience