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Little Grand Canyon/San Rafael Swell, Utah (View Photos):
At the risk of disclosing one of Utah's best kept secrets, I want to introduce readers to the San Rafael Swell. In a
nutshell, the San Rafael Swell is a spectacular uplift in the Colorado Plateau that can be likened to an enormous dome rising unevenly from the earth's crust. As is the case pretty well everywhere in southern Utah, long-term erosion has worked its magic on this landscape, sculpting a stupendous array of canyons, cliffs, and mesas. The Swell measures approximately 75 miles long and 30 miles wide, and it looks like a one of the most beautiful places you could ever get lost in, which would be very easy to do out here. And the best part is you can often have large sections of it all to
yourself.
An easy way to explore this region first hand is to drive east along Interstate 70 from a few miles beyond its intersection with route 72 to the town of Green River. A series of highly-developed pull-outs with short walking trails and excellent overlooks allows motorists on either side of I-70 to view the canyons, rock formations, and red desert of the San Rafael Swell.
For an even more remote experience, take a wide detour over to the "Little Grand Canyon". This is the largest of a series of canyons carved out by the San Rafael River and its tributaries. One of the prime vantage points from which to survey this landscape is the Wedge Overlook. This nicely accessible viewpoint can be reached by taking an excellent dirt road (passenger cars can easily navigate this route) located off Route 10 just north of the town of Castle Dale. From Wedge Overlook, a panorama of the "Little Grand Canyon" spreads out before you. As you walk along the canyon rim, you will be struck by the quiet and the absence of other people in such a beautiful place.
The Bureau of Land Management controls this area and has placed it under consideration for wilderness designation. Doing so would protect it from the never-ending attempts by mining, natural gas, and oil companies to exploit its natural resources. It seems not a day goes by without the destructive, anti-environment alliance of right-wing Utah politicians and corporate special interests attempting to assert control over this pristine landscape in order to open it up to industrial development and scorched-earth ORV recreation. Take action today to stop this threat to one of Utah's most significant geologic treasures.
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Little Grand Canyon, Wedge Overlook, (October 2009)
Little Grand Canyon, Wedge Overlook, (October 2009)
Little Grand Canyon, Wedge Overlook (October 2009)
Canyons of the San Rafael River, (October 2009)
A yawning view of the San Rafael Swell, roadside overlook off I-70, (October 2009)
Little Grand Canyon, San Rafael Swell, (October 2009)
Little Grand Canyon, San Rafael Swell, (October 2009)
A canyon of the San Rafael Swell, roadside overlook off I-70, (October 2009)
