Pt 2 - The San Raphael Swell
Part 2 of our journey begins right where we left off, facing east on the Bonneville Salt Flats taking in one of the most glorious sunrises I’ve ever seen. After soaking up the sun for a bit Layka and I explored more of the area before packing up. The only trace we left behind were a few tire tracks but the imprint this area made on my soul was profound. Although I only spent a short time here on this trip, I absolutely will make the journey back and explore more of this vast area again. If you are looking for a one-of-a-kind place to go, I strongly urge you all to make the trip here! After returning to the highway I pointed the Jeep east towards Salt Lake City, Utah.
Although the day began with glorious weather, as we approached Salt Lake City and its surrounding mountains, a thick blanket of clouds covered us, the temperature dropped, and snow started to fall. The weather for this trip was always in the back of my mind as I knew the front from the north was expected to push our way, but I pleaded with the weather gods not to let that happen too soon!
After visiting the Black Rifle Coffee shop, a business based in Utah, started by veterans and known for their delicious coffee, cool gear and entertaining promotional videos, Layka and I headed south towards the stunning San Rafael Swell. By the time we reached Castle Dale on the outskirts of the Swell the warm weather and sunshine had returned. Looks like my prayers from earlier were heard!
The San Rafael Swell is an amazing geologic feature made when Precambrian bedrock was pushed upward at around the same time the Rockies were formed. Under the immense pressure the bedrock cracked forming a fault line. Over the years flash floods and the San Raphael River have eroded the sedimentary rocks that were covering the bedrock and formed into incredible features like buttes, gorges, mesas, etc. This area was also historically part of the Old Spanish Trail that connected New Mexico to California back in the early 1800s and was also a popular hideout for Butch Cassidy and his gang of thieves.
Our campsite for the night was an area called the Wedge Overlook, an amazing site that puts you and your vehicle right on the edge of a breathtaking feature of the swell known as the Little Grand Canyon. You are only steps away from the red cliffs of the canyon that plummet 1200 feet down from the campsite ending at the San Raphael River. Needless to say, I kept a very watchful eye on Layka after I let her out of the Jeep.
After I set up the tent and prepped supper the campfire was lit, and Layka and I enjoyed a sunset that rivalled this morning’s sunrise. The setting sun's glowing rays fanned the rocky landscape and mixed with the dancing flames and the crackle of burning wood of the campfire, made me feel more relaxed than I’ve been able to feel for a long while.
As the sun dipped below the horizon the night sky began to wake. First one or two stars peeked out, but soon countless stars covered the heavens. Orion peered from the eastern horizon which pleasantly surprised me. Normally in BC Orion shows itself later in the evening. Shortly after the Milky Way unveiled itself in its full splendour. It was a magical night and one of my favourite moments from the trip.
The next morning was spent exploring the Buckhorn Draw, an incredibly beautiful drive The trail is characterized by steep, multi-coloured walls that flank you on both sides as you meander south through the canyon. Along the route are some amazing attractions from very different time periods.
The first site you will come to is the most recent historically. The Morrison Knudsen Tunnels were developed between 1948 and 1952 when the US Department of Defense was trying to determine how certain rock and underground structures react to explosions. Sandstone didn’t do so well leading the DOD to move on to test granite in Colorado. The granite did much better which led to the NORAD site being constructed in Cheyenne Mountain Colorado.
About a mile down the road from the start of the Buckhorn Draw is a sign that states Dinosaur footprint. Just a short walk up an embankment you will find an actual 3-fingered footprint of an Ornithopod encircled in stones. Ornithopods, according to Wikipedia, were one of the most successful groups of herbivores during the Cretaceous period. I’m pretty sure that these guys had a role in at least one of the many Jurassic Park movies. This was a very cool thing to see and put into perspective how much of a blip on the radar our time on this earth actually is and reinforced the fact that the time to get out there and explore is now.
The Buckhorn Wash Pictograph site was my main attraction on this amazing trail. As you turn a corner in Horseshoe Canyon there is a massive wall towering upwards on your left and along a 130-foot section of the wall are numerous pictographs that apparently date back to the Archaic Period, between 700-500 BC. According to the Real Archeology website, the pictographs are attributed to a nomadic hunter-gatherer group known as the Barrier Canyon people and are possibly depicting the attempt to contact some sort of gods to show gratitude and ask for safe passage through the area.
I could have easily spent at least another week exploring this area as there are numerous trails and hikes that take you deeper into the many canyons and mesas, but I would have to save that for another day. As I crossed over the San Raphael River, I made my way through grazing fields and onto Highway 70 and headed east towards Moab where I grabbed a delicious supper before making our way to another breathtaking view. This time it was of Castle Valley from the Porcupine Rim Campground. More on that in Part 3. I hope you’ve enjoyed this latest instalment, as always, thank you for reading and please feel free to leave a comment and follow our adventures on all the social platforms listed above.
