| The San Rafael
Swell is a large (over a million acres) and remote area located in south
central Utah (northwest of Canyonlands NP and northeast of Capitol Reef
NP). The swell is somewhat difficult to locate on most maps because much
of it is unprotected (although a few wilderness study areas do exist). The
area is maintained by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which allows
mining and ranching on much of the area (none of the mines proved
productive, so these appear to be all but abandoned, the impact of
ranching, however, is prevalent throughout). Be aware that many areas
within the Swell are quite remote: stock up on water and gas ahead of
time, and let someone know where you are going and when you'll return.
Like Waterpocket Fold, the San Rafael
Swell is another massive uplifted reef of rock. There are no trails
in the area , however, there are many opportunities to hike and explore,
particularly in the many deep and narrow canyons. Main access to the Swell
is from Interstate Highway 70 and from Highway 24 to the west. All the
roads within the Swell are unpaved, however, the main roads are graded
once per year and when dry are passable by any passenger car.
The two main sources of information I
have used to explore this area are:
Hiking and Exploring Utah's San Rafael Swell, by Michael Kelsey
Canyoneering: The San Rafael Swell, by Steve Allen
|
