Tonkaman
Well-Known Member
- Location
- West Jordan
I took my girlfriend Elaina and daughter Leimomi down to the San Rafael Swell for a weekend retreat from the world. Kurt gave me a description of the San Rafael Discovery Route, and I planned my trip around that route. I had never been in the area before so careful preparation was important to make sure the Duramax would survive while pulling a pop up trailer. I played it safe and loaded 3 times more supplies than I needed for the weekend, and hit the road.
May 17 We started just outside Castle Dale, Utah at The Wedge also known as "The Little Grand Canyon". How had I never heard of this place before? I cannot believe how amazing this view was! From there we turned down Buckhorn Wash. It is an excellent quality gravel road that takes you from the high desert plains down into deep winding canyons between the sandstone cliffs. Along the way we looked at the MK Tunnels an old research remnant of the cold war. Further down the wash we spent a bit of time trying to decipher the pictographs at the Outlaw panel, and Buckhorn Panel. The site was well maintained and provided a a great place to stop and let the kid run wild. The Swinging Bridge is a bit further down the road, It was very well maintained but the wood is dried out and badly splintered. Leimomi grabbed the guardrail and It filled her hands with slivers, poor kid didn't understand what was happening. There was a nice campground next to the river at the bridge, but we decided to keep driving toward I-70. I turned off of Buckhorn Wash onto Sinkhole Flats where we found a great place to camp for the night.
May 18 We packed up camp and crossed I-70 onto the Heart of Sinbad Road. Our first attraction for the day was the Lone Warrior Pictograph, It really wasn't much to look at but all part of the adventure. On our way out we ran into a fellow RME friend Stephen and his crew. We detoured over to Swayzey's Cabin before dropping into Rods Valley. This was the first time of the trip that I was worried about how bad the road might get ahead. Up until this point a car could have safely traveled where we had been. Rods Valley never did get too rough for the trailer but the road did get tighter and a bit more for high clearance vehicles. At the end of the road is an intersection with Hondu Arch Road. I decided to take the long way out and make a loop through Reds Canyon. This was by far my favorite part of the journey! As you turn off of Hondu Arch Road onto Reds Canyon the scenery changes, the small rolling desert flats get dramatic erosion that forms deep ravines As you make your way to the edge of the high desert a massive canyon appears, suddenly you realize your on the outer rim of a gigantic wash and your headed to the bottom. The scenery while dropping into the canyon is breathtaking! The canyon seems to get deeper and longer the farther in you get, Its truly amazing how it just appears out of nowhere yet its so massive. Once in the bottom your essentially driving down a wash for the majority of the drive, this would be a death trap in a rain storm. The canyon walls to the north stretch for miles and are so high you can barely see the tops of the peaks when your in the vehicle. Eventually the road leads you to Hondu Arch Road again, this time with a perfect view of Hondu Arch Itself, in a great little oasis with tall willow trees. On our way out we stopped to check out the mines. I know the signs say not to go into or near the mines, but were a pack of rebels... My 2 year old daughter asked if we could go into the mines and "hunt zombie heads" who could deny their child a chance to track down some zombies? She was so excited to explore the mines and find zombies that we got in pretty deep and found the end of almost all of the shafts. We decided to get closer to Temple Mountain before making camp for the night so we drove out Hondu Arch Road, turned down Heart of Sinbad Road, and made camp next to flat top peak just before the road drops down into Behind the Reef.
May 19 We had to return to Salt Lake so our plans to stop in Goblin Valley will have to be put on hold till next time. From where we camped to highway 24 was only about an hour out. There were several cars on this last stretch of road most, a hard contrast to the 4 other cars we saw on the rest of the trip. The trip was a success Id love to do it again without a trailer so I can take the detours and side roads without worry. The girls loved being out in the dirt and Elaina even realized she could do without all the extra crap next time. Big thanks to everyone that gave me good insight on what to expect and where to go.
May 17 We started just outside Castle Dale, Utah at The Wedge also known as "The Little Grand Canyon". How had I never heard of this place before? I cannot believe how amazing this view was! From there we turned down Buckhorn Wash. It is an excellent quality gravel road that takes you from the high desert plains down into deep winding canyons between the sandstone cliffs. Along the way we looked at the MK Tunnels an old research remnant of the cold war. Further down the wash we spent a bit of time trying to decipher the pictographs at the Outlaw panel, and Buckhorn Panel. The site was well maintained and provided a a great place to stop and let the kid run wild. The Swinging Bridge is a bit further down the road, It was very well maintained but the wood is dried out and badly splintered. Leimomi grabbed the guardrail and It filled her hands with slivers, poor kid didn't understand what was happening. There was a nice campground next to the river at the bridge, but we decided to keep driving toward I-70. I turned off of Buckhorn Wash onto Sinkhole Flats where we found a great place to camp for the night.
May 18 We packed up camp and crossed I-70 onto the Heart of Sinbad Road. Our first attraction for the day was the Lone Warrior Pictograph, It really wasn't much to look at but all part of the adventure. On our way out we ran into a fellow RME friend Stephen and his crew. We detoured over to Swayzey's Cabin before dropping into Rods Valley. This was the first time of the trip that I was worried about how bad the road might get ahead. Up until this point a car could have safely traveled where we had been. Rods Valley never did get too rough for the trailer but the road did get tighter and a bit more for high clearance vehicles. At the end of the road is an intersection with Hondu Arch Road. I decided to take the long way out and make a loop through Reds Canyon. This was by far my favorite part of the journey! As you turn off of Hondu Arch Road onto Reds Canyon the scenery changes, the small rolling desert flats get dramatic erosion that forms deep ravines As you make your way to the edge of the high desert a massive canyon appears, suddenly you realize your on the outer rim of a gigantic wash and your headed to the bottom. The scenery while dropping into the canyon is breathtaking! The canyon seems to get deeper and longer the farther in you get, Its truly amazing how it just appears out of nowhere yet its so massive. Once in the bottom your essentially driving down a wash for the majority of the drive, this would be a death trap in a rain storm. The canyon walls to the north stretch for miles and are so high you can barely see the tops of the peaks when your in the vehicle. Eventually the road leads you to Hondu Arch Road again, this time with a perfect view of Hondu Arch Itself, in a great little oasis with tall willow trees. On our way out we stopped to check out the mines. I know the signs say not to go into or near the mines, but were a pack of rebels... My 2 year old daughter asked if we could go into the mines and "hunt zombie heads" who could deny their child a chance to track down some zombies? She was so excited to explore the mines and find zombies that we got in pretty deep and found the end of almost all of the shafts. We decided to get closer to Temple Mountain before making camp for the night so we drove out Hondu Arch Road, turned down Heart of Sinbad Road, and made camp next to flat top peak just before the road drops down into Behind the Reef.
May 19 We had to return to Salt Lake so our plans to stop in Goblin Valley will have to be put on hold till next time. From where we camped to highway 24 was only about an hour out. There were several cars on this last stretch of road most, a hard contrast to the 4 other cars we saw on the rest of the trip. The trip was a success Id love to do it again without a trailer so I can take the detours and side roads without worry. The girls loved being out in the dirt and Elaina even realized she could do without all the extra crap next time. Big thanks to everyone that gave me good insight on what to expect and where to go.
