The San Rafael Swell is located in the east center of Utah and is an area about 46 miles long and about 27 miles wide in the Emery County, Utah. For decades I have been enjoying and exploring the “Swell.” The landscape is similar to the vast areas of Southern Utah but not as far away from my home town of Nephi. Two streams cut through the San Rafael Reef and the interior. While these are not large streams, during good water years and during spring run-off floating the San Rafael River and Muddy Creek is an activity many adventurers plan on.
Because of the size and varied landscape of the Swell I will share a few highlights of the many trips I have enjoyed in the area. Actually one trip has already been shared here. The Thin Man pinnacle is located in the northern portion of the Swell. The San Rafael Swell is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and as such is mostly open to many vehicle types and uses. While some areas are protected and some areas have been developed the vast majority of the land is quietly resting in the solitude of the region.
Most people’s only exposure to the Swell is when they travel across the middle of the region on interstate freeway I-70. Even if this is your only experience you’ll be impressed by the country that the freeway travels through.
Cliffs, pinnacles, deeply carved canyons and washes, open prairie and panoramic vistas. Hidden in the more remote reaches of this area one will find springs and pools of water, natural arches, evidences of Native Americans calling the area home and pioneer mining and ranching history.
The stone of the area is more yellow than the reds of southern Utah but, reds, purples and tans as well as whites give the landscape a surreal feel. Just a three hour drive from Salt Lake City will bring you deep into the San Rafael Swell. Here are a few of the vistas that await the intrepid explorer as they search out this wonderful area.
The Little Grand Canyon is right at the front door of the Swell here the view opens up over the San Rafael River which cuts across the northern part of the Swell. The upper and lower third of this river in the Swell is only accessible on foot or by raft when the water is higher. The middle third has a road paralleling it, which makes getting to the rim of the river gorge itself more readily available.
On the far more remote southern end the overlook is far above the Muddy Creek and the twisted interior of the southern Swell. Here one can also see the “swell” of the land that gives the region its name. There are many good gravel and dirt roads throughout the Swell but caution should be used in bad weather seasons.
In future posts, I’ll focus more on a few of the places I have explored in detail to enhance the full experience of what the San Rafael Swell has to offer.