The San Rafael Swell, a 70 by 40-mile geologic upheaval located in southeastern UT, has been cut, shaped, and formed over thousands of years into a crazy assembly of sandstone buttresses, canyons, and plateaus. The northern Swell, located north of Interstate 70, offers fantastic hiking, backpacking, biking, and camping at all levels of fun.
What Makes It Great
The Wedge Overlook is a good place to begin exploring the northern Swell. The view from here offers a bird’s eye perspective of the Little Grand Canyon, a 14-mile path cut from the Earth’s crust by the San Rafael River that’s regarded as one of the best San Rafael hikes. This 1000-foot deep gorge reveals towering sandstone cliffs that overlook the canyon’s bottom which is lined with cottonwoods, rabbit brush, and greasewood. The Wedge Overlook also offers great views of Sids Mountain, Assembly Hall Peak, and the highest point in the Swell, …