Stellar Beauty--Fewer Crowds--Utah's Little Grand Canyon

Russ and Tiña De Maris

Arizona may boast of the Grand Canyon--and grand it is--as millions agree, the scenery there is magnificent. But with those grand views come grande drawbacks--the hoards of humanity who come to appreciate that beauty.

Not far away though, there’s a place the locals call “Utah’s Little Grand Canyon.” Here in the San Rafael River country there’s a place with views ‘durn near as good’ as those of those scene in that big ditch in Arizona. But crowds? “Piffle!,” as my daddy used to day. If you journey to the Little Grand Canyon, the only person you may see is that character that hangs out in your bathroom--the one who leers at you when you brush your teeth.

Part of a Bigger Geologic Picture

The Little Grand Canyon is the product of the continuing erosion of the San Rafael River. Really, the canyon is only a small part of a bigger--and outstanding--geologic picture known as the San Rafael Swell. The swell is a plateau of upturned earth, home to desert dwelling critters, sparse vegetation, and some of the finest selections of desert geology: Mesas, canyons, cliffs and buttes. Ancient dwellers and visitors to this empty zone left records of themselves in the form of rock pictures.

More recent travelers have left records as well. These are few and mostly far between. The things most seen by moderns are tracked roads, largely rough and unpaved, leading from mining sites to far flung ranch operations. Perhaps the biggest “bisector” of the swell is of fairly recent vintage: Interstate 70, which tracks east to west across this arid land, has only been here since the early 1970s.

Aside from the few tourists of humanity, there must be more four-legged visitors per square mile than mankind could ever muster. Look closely, you may run across a herd of wild horses or burros. Visit some of the more remote canyons and it is said you can sometimes find bighorn sheep. But more likely you’ll run across the ubiquitous coyote, working his way through the Swell in search of dinner.

Wedge Overlook

For scenic views and solitude, out of all the 3,000 square miles of the Swell, there are none better than those from the Wedge Overlook. Standing high, 600 feet above the San Rafael River, the Wedge marks the northern end of the San Rafael Swell. From the Wedge you can see south across the canyon to a landscape of rock domes. To the east, a series of canyon walls form a jagged contour of valleys.

If you visit the Wedge at sunset, wonderful color bathes the canyon walls. Overnight in your rig and wake before dawn you'll watch as the hews go from blacks to blues, to final daylight color. Nights at the top of the Wedge hold a silence as deep as the canyon. Looking heavenward at night the sky is so clear you'll see stars you've never noticed before.

Down below in the canyon, if your journey takes you to the Overlook sometime between mid-May and late June, you may see tiny yellow dots on the little line that marks the river. River rafting is a popular activity, but it’s a short season, dictated by the flow of the river.

Finding the Wedge Overlook isn’t difficult. The BLM has provided good signage to lead through the swell. From the western side of the Swell, you’ll be on Highway 10. Just north of Castle Dale look for the Green River Cutoff Road. From there it's nearly 13 miles to the Wedge Cutoff road via the 401 Road. Look for a rusty brown water tank at Buckhorn Well--this is a fork in the road that leads to the Wedge Cutoff Road. At the tank, swing south and head 6 miles uphill through junipers and piñon trees. The last two miles of the route to the Wedge Overlook is tooth-jarring washboard, but certainly worth the drive.

Want More?

While you may linger at the Wedge Overlook, there’s still more to the Swell to take in. How about other geologic formations and pictographs? Driving the Canyon Country you’ll find plenty of surprises. The government oversees the property, and the maintenance level is primitive. If you don’t mind a little dust, slow down for the bumps and the road is fine. What’s off the road is what the journey is all about. The rocky high country gives away to canyons and draws.

In Buckhorn Wash, you’ll find the trail of the ancient ones, the Buckhorn Wash Rock Art Panel. Hidden under “modern art” (read “spray paint ala vandals”), in the mid 1990’s an art conservator’s work released the glory of the ancient artists. Wonderful and fantastic designs of humans and animals. Two types of art “hang” here: Petroglyphs, which are impressions chipped out of the rock, and pictographs, paintings made with pigments.

Finding the rock art panel is yet another exercise in gravel road rambling. If you went out to the Wedge Overlook, retrace your path back to the big brown water tank. At the tank, Green River Cutoff Road becomes Buckhorn Draw Road. Follow Buckhorn Draw 2 ½ miles from the tank and make a right turn, following the signs to San Rafael Campground. In another 2 ½ miles or so you’ll reach the pictograph panel.

South of the artwork, modern “artists” compete, not with brushes or picks, but with off-road-vehicles. They find places to “hole up” in little campgrounds spread through the area, but the largest encampment for travelers is 12 miles beyond the Swinging Bridge. The bridge takes its dub from fond memories of big rig drivers who swear the old bridge rolled back and forth like a cradle as they drove across. Today’s bridge is might more stable.

From the Rock Art Panel, you can reach I-70 through some pretty country. Names like Cottonwood Draw, Sinkhole Flat, and Assembly Hall Peak, will pique your interest in the history of the place. Follow the signs south, continuing on Buckhorn Draw Road clear to Ranch Exit 129 on I-70. Your return to “civilization” is up to you once you make it this far!

Regardless of where your journeys take you, the Little Grand Canyon will haunt your memory. Maybe it’s the wide-openness and quietness of the Wedge Overlook. Perhaps it’s some primal urge brought out by viewing the impressions at Buckhorn Wash. Regardless, you’ll want to come back. Just leave the crowds at home when you do.