Desert Crisscrossings in Eastern Utah

[roverrocks]

Spent March 12-15, 2014 crisscrossing the late winter desert environs south and southwest of Green River, Utah ending in the Hanksville, Utah area and to about 25 miles south of Hanksville. Wandered east/west between Hy 24/Hy 95/Goblin Valley on the west and the Green and Dirty Devil Rivers on the east. Viewed scenic areas along the San Rafael River and Muddy Creek plus numerous canyons and washes and overlooks and Blackbrush/Ephedra dominated swaths in the vast area. The northern part of the visited area was very sparsely vegetated painted desert/whitish silty sandstone badlands which gradually gave way the farther south one went into brownish/reddish sandstone with much denser vegetated desert shrublands, sanddunes and sand hummocks, and Galleta grass/Ricegrass swales. To the east in the far distance one viewed the snow-capped La Sal Mountains and to the south of Hanksville the high, snow covered Henry Mountains dominated the region. Also to the west one could see the magnificent San Rafael Reef/Swell always on the horizon. I took numerous desert byways and little used 4x4 two track trails all over this area mostly trying to visit new places from my prior travels in years past. Saw a few antelope, numerous ever-present ravens and horned larks, one golden eagle, numerous cow/young calf groupings, and an unidentified couple of raptors in the distance. Very, very few people out and about which was fine by me. Forded the San Rafael River at a little used but very pretty area called the Spring Canyon Ford. The only flowers I noticed during the wanderings were an occasional beautiful pea family Oxytropis commonly called locoweed/crazyweed. Just a bit too early for much else to be blooming. All in all a very good time with me staying three nights at the Whispering Sands Motel in Hanksville and pigging out twice at Stan's Burger Shack (I paid for that "pigging out" each night most definitely). These pictures I post today are pictures from March 12 only and I wandered from Green River to Hanksville haphazardly/erratically all day.

 

[roverrocks]

Desert Crisscrossings in Eastern Utah Cont.

More desert wanderings. As I got farther southward I started having numerous views of The Flattops and Little Flattop Mesas which lie NE of Hanksville with the Henry Mountains often beyond in the distance. The Flattops and Little Flattop were landmarks from different directions on all four days of my travels. The two cabins pictured were along the San Rafael River.

 

[roverrocks]

Desert Crisscrossings in Eastern Utah Cont.

More desert wandering. The sand dunes pictured were along the San Rafael River.

 

[roverrocks]

Desert Crisscrossings in Eastern Utah Cont.

More desert wanderings. Descending down to the Spring Canyon Ford on the San Rafael River. The river was clear and the rock bottom easy to traverse. A cattleman's water tank truck was just south of the ford area. Last photo shows heading southwestward past the ford area through Blackbrush dominated flats.

 

[roverrocks]

Desert Crisscrossings in Eastern Utah Cont.

More desert wandering photos from March 12 from Green River to Hanksville. Sand hummocks and dunes. A variety of plants form the hummocks. Often Ephedra species and ground oak dominate many of these hummocks which lie interspersed like warts from one to 6,7,8 feet tall. Great land stabilizers. Views from east and south of the Flattops. The Flattops are very interesting and scenic from all sides. Last are views southward of the high Henry Mountains which dominate the region south of Hanksville.

 

[roverrocks]

Desert Crisscrossings in Eastern Utah Cont.

The last set of photos from March 12. Basically show heading sort of southwestward toward Hanksville with several side 4x4 trails to Dirty Devil River overlooks and feeder canyons on the north side of the river. The final photo is of Hanksville from a hill east of town. The view looks westward toward Capitol Reef NP which lies 30 miles away.

 

[concretejungle]

looks like fun. I will be out there the last of April into the first of May. Can't wait!

 

[stioc]

As always, great pics roverrocks! BTW, what size are those KM2s?

 

[NMC_EXP]

Another area for the to-do list.

Thanks

 

[roverrocks]

As always, great pics roverrocks! BTW, what size are those KM2s?

32", 265-R75's. I am a big BFG fan. On my third set of BFG MT's on the truck.

 

[stioc]

Thanks, I was guessing they're either 255/85/16 or 265/75/16, youre right, they're fantastic tires.

 

[pmatusov]

Man, I don't think I could live in Utah, but anytime I see photos from Utah I want to go there badly. Thanks for posting.

Tires... I have the same on my truck, and they've been a disappointment compared to older BFG MTs. Not traction-wise, but in terms of poor balance, out-of-round, wear rate, and noise.