San Rafael Swell

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Description 

The San Rafael Swell is a huge area in the center of Utah. There is everything from Indian creek style cragging to long sandy slabs to towers. The swell has seen a lot of new route activity lately, so keep checking for more updates.

In addition to rock climbing, the San Rafael Swell is home to impressive rock art, many slot canyons, mountain biking, mellow flatwater canoe trips, and wild class V whitewater kayaking. Crowds are minimal compared to the Moab area, though so are any kind of developed services.

Getting There 

This is a vast area in the center of Utah split by I-70. The most popular areas are accessed by the Buckhorn Wash Road. Most of the main roads in this area are good dirt roads, and you can usually at least get close in a 2WD. The road conditions can change quickly since they don't see much traffic, and the remote parts of the swell are not a good place to have car trouble. Visitors should always come to the swell with a full tank of gas, a spare tire in good condition, and extra food and water just in case.

Featured Route For San Rafael Swell

James Tower 5.10 A1  UT : San Rafael Swell : ... : Lower Buckhorn Wash

James Tower is the knob located on the west side of Buckhorn Wash approximately 1 mile north of the river. There is a pullout on the west side of the road a little way past the tower. To breach the chinle hike up the wash (along the chinle) to the west of the pullout until an easy scramble is reached.The route begins on the north side of the tower in a handcrack and winds left around to the south side and a big ledge. The crack gets progressiv...[more]

Add Photo Photos of San Rafael Swell

Middle Sister Photo by: Frosty Weller	Thin Man Pinnacle Photo by: Frosty Weller	Thin Man Pinnacle Photo by: Frosty Weller
Thin Man Pinnacle Photo by: Frosty Weller	One of the local Swell Berber's we met who was lo...