Udink
04-07-2008, 09:52 AM
I camped with my family and my sister's family about three miles east of the Cleveland-Lloyd dinosaur quarry in the northern San Rafael Swell this weekend. On Saturday, my brother-in-law and I rode out to see a couple of balanced rocks north of our camp. You can get to the first one in a full-sized vehicle, but much farther than that and you need an ATV. On Sunday we took the road that goes around Flattop Mountain, but we didn't make it to the end of the trail due to time constraints. We also took a very interesting trail across Lemon Flats that will definitely require a return trip to get some pictures (sorry, I didn't take any this time) and do some hiking.
Below are some photos from Saturday's ride, and there are a few more here (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling).
Typical desert terrain for this part of the San Rafael Swell, northwest of the Cottonwood Wash crossing. The hills are formed by the Brushy Basin member of the Morrison Formation.
http://lh4.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o9siVLfzI/AAAAAAAAARo/Ffkr-LFNgj0/s400/IMG_1451.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186525756209725234)
A balanced rock--the boulder is from the Cedar Mountain Formation, overlying a column of Morrison Formation.
http://lh6.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o9-CVLf0I/AAAAAAAAARw/Un6mrJ0_x6o/s400/IMG_1461.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526056857435970)
ATVs parked near the balanced rock.
http://lh3.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o9-SVLf1I/AAAAAAAAAR4/mPpN8M_lQA0/s400/IMG_1467.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526061152403282)
Parked along the trail for a brief pit stop, just south of Church Flats.
http://lh4.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o9-iVLf4I/AAAAAAAAASQ/6W5gmj9T5z8/s400/IMG_1496.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526065447370626)
A balanced rock near Dripping Spring.
http://lh6.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o-bCVLf7I/AAAAAAAAASo/CuE11A0werI/s400/IMG_1513.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526555073642418)
Our parking spot near the balanced rock.
http://lh6.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o-bCVLf9I/AAAAAAAAAS4/Egw5ZYskzsg/s400/IMG_1541.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526555073642450)
Closing the gate again on our return trip.
http://lh4.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o-oiVLf-I/AAAAAAAAATA/lInxR2689B0/s400/IMG_1547.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526787001876450)
Panorama from the top of the dugway near the beginning of Red Holes Wash. This part of the trail stopped me from proceeding any farther in my full-sized truck when I was there in September 2006, but it was nice and easy on the ATVs.
http://lh6.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o-_CVLgDI/AAAAAAAAATo/CGo1-VqpPs0/s400/PAN_1481.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186527173548933170)
Below are some photos from Saturday's ride, and there are a few more here (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling).
Typical desert terrain for this part of the San Rafael Swell, northwest of the Cottonwood Wash crossing. The hills are formed by the Brushy Basin member of the Morrison Formation.
http://lh4.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o9siVLfzI/AAAAAAAAARo/Ffkr-LFNgj0/s400/IMG_1451.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186525756209725234)
A balanced rock--the boulder is from the Cedar Mountain Formation, overlying a column of Morrison Formation.
http://lh6.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o9-CVLf0I/AAAAAAAAARw/Un6mrJ0_x6o/s400/IMG_1461.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526056857435970)
ATVs parked near the balanced rock.
http://lh3.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o9-SVLf1I/AAAAAAAAAR4/mPpN8M_lQA0/s400/IMG_1467.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526061152403282)
Parked along the trail for a brief pit stop, just south of Church Flats.
http://lh4.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o9-iVLf4I/AAAAAAAAASQ/6W5gmj9T5z8/s400/IMG_1496.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526065447370626)
A balanced rock near Dripping Spring.
http://lh6.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o-bCVLf7I/AAAAAAAAASo/CuE11A0werI/s400/IMG_1513.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526555073642418)
Our parking spot near the balanced rock.
http://lh6.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o-bCVLf9I/AAAAAAAAAS4/Egw5ZYskzsg/s400/IMG_1541.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526555073642450)
Closing the gate again on our return trip.
http://lh4.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o-oiVLf-I/AAAAAAAAATA/lInxR2689B0/s400/IMG_1547.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186526787001876450)
Panorama from the top of the dugway near the beginning of Red Holes Wash. This part of the trail stopped me from proceeding any farther in my full-sized truck when I was there in September 2006, but it was nice and easy on the ATVs.
http://lh6.google.com/Dennis.Udink/R_o-_CVLgDI/AAAAAAAAATo/CGo1-VqpPs0/s400/PAN_1481.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/NorthernmostSanRafaelSwellCamping4Wheeling/photo#5186527173548933170)