Udink
09-15-2010, 10:41 AM
My friend Chris and I left my house in Price on Thursday morning with ATVs loaded up with camping gear and food/water for three days. The plan was to travel through the northwestern San Rafael Swell to Ferron, then up Ferron Canyon to the Black Dragon Trail and to Joe's Valley, where we would camp near Grassy Lake for the first night. The following day we would continue up to Skyline Drive and follow it north, dropping into Mt. Pleasant for fuel and spending the night at some undetermined spot along Skyline. On the third day we'd planned on following Skyline Drive north all the way to the old Tucker rest area on US-6 in Spanish Fork Canyon, then turning up the Starvation road and going to Scofield, then over the mountains into the Consumers area, though Helper, and back to Price.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fcastlecountry.org%2Fgeo%2FCastleValle ySkylineLoop.kmz&sll=39.59941,-110.810715&sspn=0.064679,0.169086&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=9
http://castlecountry.org/geo/CastleValleySkylineLoop.kmz
The day started out windy and continued that way until after nightfall. We made good time on the gravel roads out of Price and into Wellington, crossed US-6 in Wellington and took Farnham Road toward Mounds at the northern end of the Swell. From there it was nice gravel roads through the Swell all the way to Buckhorn Well, where we took the Fuller Bottom turnoff and crossed the San Rafael River. After the river crossing, we followed a rougher two-track road around the Little Wedge just north of North Salt Wash and Sid's Mountain. We met up with the Dutch Flat road leading into Ferron, and my engine started sputtering about half a mile from Ferron. My fuel tank was getting low and I had to turn the fuel switch to "Reserve" in order to make it to Gilly's, where we fueled up and ate lunch at the nearby city park.
Leaving my house in Price
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MZP0mEqI/AAAAAAAAOck/szp-BaXxWeQ/s800/IMG_6921.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hgAg2D7MU9AGoGX37IFYYg)
Gravel road between Price and Wellington
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MaGdX1gI/AAAAAAAAOco/HJmtXJRjXhk/s800/IMG_6922.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dAU6eteWMzG9T-YoPJ27tQ)
Coal Creek Road leading into Wellington
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1McMl1_aI/AAAAAAAAOc0/wGq7eOtsVkc/s800/IMG_6925.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ntZA8O3stUACHI_EDpF1zQ)
Our first views in the San Rafael Swell
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MdUUtMmI/AAAAAAAAOc4/BDSrTIy-D5E/s800/IMG_6927.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/P2Q2SYB4yd-lHbjDUyP9fg)
Almost to Buckhorn Well
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MiQU4-_I/AAAAAAAAOdQ/0zTY2Kv_zZM/s800/IMG_6936.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6rLj9ljyCSDmGrZnb_wZvw)
The road to Fuller Bottom
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MjCxLiyI/AAAAAAAAOdU/ZnYYat2uh_M/s800/IMG_6937.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ssjm3kFpP41Bn2omIuw9ng)
Crossing the San Rafael River
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MnG2C4rI/AAAAAAAAOdk/2QdbVx8jm6A/s800/IMG_6943.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/d98A9_XYEyxP4ao99lWvbQ)
Near Sid's Mountain
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1Mo8g4R5I/AAAAAAAAOds/FzpuFf4qbcc/s800/IMG_6953.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i7Q2llQgr64AYkMPtS86BA)
Nearing Ferron
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MtC3BPaI/AAAAAAAAOeA/CwM0hOuj4Rw/s800/IMG_6966.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FamXaHmShkNrFVdZ9hTkMA)
Fueling up at Gilly's
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1Mul234MI/AAAAAAAAOeI/4A1OcCt31JI/s800/0909001354.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gu7B9r_TFsf_PSFSF4XBFA)
Gilly's
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MvWdyRpI/AAAAAAAAOeM/2T-m_KqwqnA/s800/IMG_6969.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-arFkl2eanpeuqyvJp1OQg)
After lunch we passed through west Ferron, around Millsite Reservoir, and into Ferron Canyon. We turned at the Black Dragon Trail and followed it up and over to Joe's Valley Reservoir. From there we headed west up the switchbacks toward Skyline Drive, taking the turn toward Grassy Lake where we made our first night's camp. We'd traveled about 120 miles on day 1.
Stopped by Millsite to scramble around on some rock formations
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M1SXMNwI/AAAAAAAAOek/fl-JC-S8fwY/s800/IMG_6987.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SyjZtEQcIm3oaQzBmF4qVQ)
Overlooking Millsite
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M0OXRvlI/AAAAAAAAOeg/xd3e0QbRnvo/s800/IMG_6986.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_WegpNHaTHM9E4_d-2qVbg)
Ferron Canyon
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M9BgnnGI/AAAAAAAAOfI/twj1PYpIyzQ/s800/IMG_7006.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G1-LYx0Zx70y9d8ZFiiBNQ)
Bridge over Ferron Creek at the Black Dragon trailhead
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M-hrPreI/AAAAAAAAOfM/n-S07qNArIM/s800/IMG_7007.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DkClV-_7-wOslym2g4oQcQ)
Beginning of the Black Dragon Trail
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M_j7h5JI/AAAAAAAAOfQ/xn1bCCl54j8/s800/IMG_7012.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/weQ1tn32LDgmMJd6uUR5Ew)
Climbing up the initial steep portion of the trail
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NDOj9o_I/AAAAAAAAOfY/s7EUP5d5nrg/s800/IMG_7015.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G5Qd3P5eSoDaNdXnlT5rrw)
About halfway along the Black Dragon Trail to Joe's Valley
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NIiAlw2I/AAAAAAAAOfo/kWyM1GV6irM/s800/IMG_7031.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vcOw4cshGoXEDLRuqbwDxA)
Joe's Valley Reservoir
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NJrLKCzI/AAAAAAAAOfs/XYlGct6hp2M/s800/IMG_7033.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/p9XXOhfYEqw72ctO6yGmsw)
Above Joe's Valley
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NKi-3faI/AAAAAAAAOfw/ue0BLbNDfa0/s800/IMG_7036.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/f_Alsfw4wS_8TZwRq09Erw)
Our camp for the night
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NMPqFtUI/AAAAAAAAOf0/yZz-F_3AQVo/s800/IMG_7038.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XhSUMUnSGf8UZSmtnmxkRA)
The campfire lighting up the aspens
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NQab1ATI/AAAAAAAAOgE/IW5gqSugLBY/s800/IMG_7052.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/O_a0GSUk_09byrknMqu5Rg)
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fcastlecountry.org%2Fgeo%2FCastleValle ySkylineLoop.kmz&sll=39.59941,-110.810715&sspn=0.064679,0.169086&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=9
http://castlecountry.org/geo/CastleValleySkylineLoop.kmz
The day started out windy and continued that way until after nightfall. We made good time on the gravel roads out of Price and into Wellington, crossed US-6 in Wellington and took Farnham Road toward Mounds at the northern end of the Swell. From there it was nice gravel roads through the Swell all the way to Buckhorn Well, where we took the Fuller Bottom turnoff and crossed the San Rafael River. After the river crossing, we followed a rougher two-track road around the Little Wedge just north of North Salt Wash and Sid's Mountain. We met up with the Dutch Flat road leading into Ferron, and my engine started sputtering about half a mile from Ferron. My fuel tank was getting low and I had to turn the fuel switch to "Reserve" in order to make it to Gilly's, where we fueled up and ate lunch at the nearby city park.
Leaving my house in Price
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MZP0mEqI/AAAAAAAAOck/szp-BaXxWeQ/s800/IMG_6921.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hgAg2D7MU9AGoGX37IFYYg)
Gravel road between Price and Wellington
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MaGdX1gI/AAAAAAAAOco/HJmtXJRjXhk/s800/IMG_6922.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/dAU6eteWMzG9T-YoPJ27tQ)
Coal Creek Road leading into Wellington
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1McMl1_aI/AAAAAAAAOc0/wGq7eOtsVkc/s800/IMG_6925.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/ntZA8O3stUACHI_EDpF1zQ)
Our first views in the San Rafael Swell
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MdUUtMmI/AAAAAAAAOc4/BDSrTIy-D5E/s800/IMG_6927.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/P2Q2SYB4yd-lHbjDUyP9fg)
Almost to Buckhorn Well
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MiQU4-_I/AAAAAAAAOdQ/0zTY2Kv_zZM/s800/IMG_6936.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6rLj9ljyCSDmGrZnb_wZvw)
The road to Fuller Bottom
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MjCxLiyI/AAAAAAAAOdU/ZnYYat2uh_M/s800/IMG_6937.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ssjm3kFpP41Bn2omIuw9ng)
Crossing the San Rafael River
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MnG2C4rI/AAAAAAAAOdk/2QdbVx8jm6A/s800/IMG_6943.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/d98A9_XYEyxP4ao99lWvbQ)
Near Sid's Mountain
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1Mo8g4R5I/AAAAAAAAOds/FzpuFf4qbcc/s800/IMG_6953.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/i7Q2llQgr64AYkMPtS86BA)
Nearing Ferron
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MtC3BPaI/AAAAAAAAOeA/CwM0hOuj4Rw/s800/IMG_6966.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/FamXaHmShkNrFVdZ9hTkMA)
Fueling up at Gilly's
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1Mul234MI/AAAAAAAAOeI/4A1OcCt31JI/s800/0909001354.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gu7B9r_TFsf_PSFSF4XBFA)
Gilly's
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1MvWdyRpI/AAAAAAAAOeM/2T-m_KqwqnA/s800/IMG_6969.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-arFkl2eanpeuqyvJp1OQg)
After lunch we passed through west Ferron, around Millsite Reservoir, and into Ferron Canyon. We turned at the Black Dragon Trail and followed it up and over to Joe's Valley Reservoir. From there we headed west up the switchbacks toward Skyline Drive, taking the turn toward Grassy Lake where we made our first night's camp. We'd traveled about 120 miles on day 1.
Stopped by Millsite to scramble around on some rock formations
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M1SXMNwI/AAAAAAAAOek/fl-JC-S8fwY/s800/IMG_6987.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SyjZtEQcIm3oaQzBmF4qVQ)
Overlooking Millsite
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M0OXRvlI/AAAAAAAAOeg/xd3e0QbRnvo/s800/IMG_6986.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/_WegpNHaTHM9E4_d-2qVbg)
Ferron Canyon
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M9BgnnGI/AAAAAAAAOfI/twj1PYpIyzQ/s800/IMG_7006.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G1-LYx0Zx70y9d8ZFiiBNQ)
Bridge over Ferron Creek at the Black Dragon trailhead
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M-hrPreI/AAAAAAAAOfM/n-S07qNArIM/s800/IMG_7007.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DkClV-_7-wOslym2g4oQcQ)
Beginning of the Black Dragon Trail
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1M_j7h5JI/AAAAAAAAOfQ/xn1bCCl54j8/s800/IMG_7012.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/weQ1tn32LDgmMJd6uUR5Ew)
Climbing up the initial steep portion of the trail
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NDOj9o_I/AAAAAAAAOfY/s7EUP5d5nrg/s800/IMG_7015.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/G5Qd3P5eSoDaNdXnlT5rrw)
About halfway along the Black Dragon Trail to Joe's Valley
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NIiAlw2I/AAAAAAAAOfo/kWyM1GV6irM/s800/IMG_7031.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vcOw4cshGoXEDLRuqbwDxA)
Joe's Valley Reservoir
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NJrLKCzI/AAAAAAAAOfs/XYlGct6hp2M/s800/IMG_7033.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/p9XXOhfYEqw72ctO6yGmsw)
Above Joe's Valley
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NKi-3faI/AAAAAAAAOfw/ue0BLbNDfa0/s800/IMG_7036.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/f_Alsfw4wS_8TZwRq09Erw)
Our camp for the night
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NMPqFtUI/AAAAAAAAOf0/yZz-F_3AQVo/s800/IMG_7038.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XhSUMUnSGf8UZSmtnmxkRA)
The campfire lighting up the aspens
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_JpEWXOITrzw/TI1NQab1ATI/AAAAAAAAOgE/IW5gqSugLBY/s800/IMG_7052.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/O_a0GSUk_09byrknMqu5Rg)