San Rafael Swell, Utah

 

 Fifteen years ago, Kevin and I set out on our first adventure to Little Wild Horse Canyon in the middle of the San Rafael Swell in Southern Utah.  We bounced over the rough dirt road in our little red Ford Escort and worried that it might not make it all the way.  We found an entrance to a canyon and began our hike, not seeing a single soul the entire way.  This time as we headed towards the canyon on a paved road in our Jeep and a sweet 4 year old hiker in the back seat, the memories came flooding back.  Seeing the canyon for the first time was incredible, but seeing it for the first time with Jadeyn leading the way and getting excited about every twist and bend in the path was something special.

 

 As a slot canyon, Little Wild Horse winds its way through the rock carved by routine flash floods.  Most of the way the canyon walls tower above at a minimum of 30 feet and at times, the canyon is so narrow that you have to turn sideways and take off your backpack to fit through.  There are not many places in nature that can compare to miniscule feeling you get from meandering through these mighty canyons.

 Jadeyn seriously ran most of the way through.  Each bend brought a new adventure and he couldn't wait to see what was around each one.  The texture of the canyon was another fascinating thing: smooth as can be, rough like sandpaper, riddled with holes like swiss cheese, pock marked, carved, jagged, and then the finest sand I have ever felt in white, grey and red!  Amazing

Jadeyn hiked the entire seven miles and then promptly crashed when we got back to camp!!

 We stayed at the Goblin Valley State Park and settled our tent in nicely amongst the goblins and hoodoos that surrounded us.

 Our second canyon that we explored was Crack Canyon with its famous "subway" rock formation.  It was nice to be in a place where we could RZR to a trail head and then hike. 

 Crack canyon was similar in some ways to Little Wild Horse except that it wasn't nearly as narrow.  The high expanse of rock walls that toward over us we so impressive. 

 The subway section was a place where you could walk upright comfortably through a tunnel in the canyon with a small crack above your head to still allow you to see daylight and the walls above.  The coolest part was that you could even climb up on top of the crack and see down into the depths as well!

 We caught a bit of "wildlife" along the trail.  Here is Jadeyn posing proudly with his miniature toad.  Green little feller with small red spots.  We tried desperately to catch a lizard for him, but those little buggers are quick!

 Temple Mountain was an impressive formation that towered over the state park.  We took a ride around it just before sunset so the lighting was beautiful.