A No-Snorkel Reef in January- The San Rafael Reef of Utah

[roverrocks]

Never been snorkeling and so I did not bring one or need one when I visited the stunning and massive San Rafael Reef of east central Utah on January 20/21, 2014. Not a fish in sight in this desert Reef but I did see wild burros, a few hawks, a golden eagle, horned larks, slow elk (cattle) and dozens of jagged sandstone pinnacles, crags and massifs all spaced by fissured meandering slots and deep canyons. The San Rafael Reef and interior San Rafael Swell are one of the most beautiful areas in a state so beautiful it makes one's head spin. Here are some winter photos with most of the December snow melted away. Any snow in the pictures is either canyon shade-sheltered or on north facing slopes. Cold frozen mornings and sunny bright afternoons. I wandered back trails along the eastern face of the Reef from Black Dragon Wash southward to the Hanksville area including shots of the San Rafael River/Valley and siltstone soft shale cliffs lying just east of the Reef. Click on the pictures several times for much greater detail.

 

[roverrocks]

Utah's San Rafael Reef cont.

More San Rafael Reef and nearby desert pictures.

 

[arlon]

WOW, just added a new geologic feature to my bucket list. As a geophysicist, I love this stuff.

 

[roverrocks]

Utah's San Rafael Reef cont.

More San Rafael Reef and desert area pictures plus passing underneath I-70. Click to enlarge.

 

[roverrocks]

Utah's San Rafael Reef cont.

More San Rafael Reef and nearby desert pictures. Click to enlarge.

 

[roverrocks]

Utah's San Rafael Reef cont.

Last pictures of the amazing San Rafael Reef and nearby desert on Jan. 20/21, 2014. Had everything virtually to myself which is exactly as I like it. Click to enlarge.

 

[roverrocks]

Temple Mountain Complex in the San Rafael Reef

I lied. The previous pictures were not the thread's last. Can't leave these out. Here are some photos from different angles from all directions of the very beautiful and complex massif of Temple Mountain, Utah taken on Jan. 20/21, 2014. Amazing geologic phenomenon. Also one picture of sandstone holes, small caves, and eroded crevices also commonly known to the naturalist as ancient doings and nests of the long-extinct Rockpecker critter of lore and myth.

 

[Rumpig]

Beautiful landscape and nice pics by the way...cheers for posting them up

 

[NMC_EXP]

Thanks for the report. This area is on my list.

Regards

Jim

 

[fireball]

Nice photos and awesome area! Do you have a map or track of your route? I was there in October. Scenic byway 12 to Capitol Reef Park to Goblin up through the Swell to swazey's cabin and onto 70. Fun stuff - looked a bit different in the fall than it does now!

 

[roverrocks]

Nice photos and awesome area! Do you have a map or track of your route? I was there in October. Scenic byway 12 to Capitol Reef Park to Goblin up through the Swell to swazey's cabin and onto 70. Fun stuff - looked a bit different in the fall than it does now!

You took a beautiful October trip with all the places you went. Here are some pictures of the routes I took which are in RED. I tried hard not to go in melting muddy areas in the afternoon sunlight. My routes were slowly wandered along as I took hundreds of pictures and basically just lollygagged along enjoying the views and solitude. Saw almost nobody else. There are other back 4x4 tracks I would have taken along the east face of the Reef but things started getting muddy in the afternoons so I did not as I do not like tearing up trails/tracks.

 

[Willman]

Looks cold and quite. I could use some of that now.

Thanks for sharing

 

[SmoothLC]

Looks like great fun!

We were there just a few months ago in some of the same places.

Boy do we need some snow around here.

 

[xjman88]

Awesome trip report. Def some unique rock formations. Thanks for sharing.

 

[fireball]

Were you able to take the "shortcut" trail from rt24 west into Goblin? The trail that goes past Molly's Castle? When I was there in Oct I turned off 24 and started heading west on that trail, got to the stream crossing the one I believe shown on the map about of a the third of the way to Goblin. There was a pretty large puddle there, with no way of telling the depth and how soft it was beneath, I tucked my tail b/w my legs and turned around.

When I got to the part entrance the guard told me they'd just pulled a Jeep out of there a week or so ago. So I problably made the smart decision, but would've liked to make it across.

Here's a photo from somewhere just north of Goblin. Fun trails up there, beautiful scenery!