Bob Palin's Blog

I've been exploring the San Rafael Swell for about 20 years now and lived nearby for the last 11 yet somehow I hadn't previously been in the best known slot canyon. Actually I had attempted twice before but been rebuffed by potential weather problems, it's a high danger area for flash floods. Finally I set out with a brilliant blue sky and no forecast of change, though thin white clouds did appear. Little Wild Horse is a very accessible slot canyon with a paved road leading right to the parking lot so in the spring and summer it is packed with people, it's hot in the summer but the high was only 40F today. As I arrived at the entrance to the canyon a sole hiker was emerging, he had done the complete Wild Horse/Bell Canyon loop and reported that there was no standing water which was great news. After that I had the whole place to myself. The entrance to Little Wild Horse from Bell Canyon, the sign has gone and people miss the turn. The dogs explored every led...

Having beaten up my knee I decided that I still needed to get out into the country while the weather was good so it was time for a truck trip. When I first started coming to Utah in the early 90s I used to go to the San Rafael Swell but I hadn't been back there since I moved here so it was time to put that right. This particular area of the swell is known as Sinbad Country because the rock formations look like those described in the Arabian stories. My off road ride started in Temple Wash where I found this strange balanced rock on top of a spire. As I went on I found all sorts of interesting rock formations - this is Dutchman Arch The rest of the story is on my main blog