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View Full Version : Trip Report Memorial Weekend, San Rafael Swell



Udink
06-01-2011, 11:21 AM
I spent Thursday through Sunday of Memorial Weekend in the San Rafael Swell. My family and a friend camped on Buckhorn Flat at the base of Cedar Mountain. We covered about 120 miles on the ATVs throughout the weekend, hitting some places close to camp and also riding to Box Flat and Buckhorn Wash and Calf Canyon.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fcastlecountry.org%2Fgeo%2FMemorialWee kendSanRafaelSwell.kmz&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.572881,86.572266&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=11
http://castlecountry.org/geo/MemorialWeekendSanRafaelSwell.kmz


I pulled into camp on Thursday evening, and after setting up, went for a short ride. We checked out some rock art and an abandoned school bus that had been converted into a camper.


Petroglyphs
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_lRNMKJ7fiY/TeRc3Y3WZgI/AAAAAAAATEE/9oUOnvzqLF0/s640/IMG_3924.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Coct3Ew-Iec/TeRc7dF66EI/AAAAAAAATEM/n5WYCX4aMEA/s640/IMG_3928.JPG

School bus
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nQxuTsBwxRw/TeRc8z00jbI/AAAAAAAATEQ/9CH_jq_AY78/s640/IMG_3930.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Wzlc8s3OSCI/TeRc9_IAUsI/AAAAAAAATEU/VLM7i6j0Hvo/s640/IMG_3934.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dbN9_ee7daA/TeRc_2m3hAI/AAAAAAAATEc/ylhTlTTkmoY/s640/IMG_3943.JPG

Our campsite
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-t7yPOqk3IQ4/TeRdCqPmNRI/AAAAAAAATEs/3-Tz3rZrtn8/s640/IMG_3959.JPG

Petroglyphs at camp
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-JILfy4Lblxc/TeRdEAHHJnI/AAAAAAAATEw/7tj-jfbg6A8/s640/IMG_3961.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-YdeI9zDOuL0/TeRdHpAQYMI/AAAAAAAATE4/-8rjw_yjMG4/s640/IMG_3966.JPG

Power lines across Buckhorn Flat
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-cX-BVYRjuJA/TeRdKsAX1xI/AAAAAAAATFI/bmvvoyQfRsE/s640/IMG_3988.JPG


On Friday, we rode down Buckhorn Wash to check out the rock art panel, then headed up Calf Canyon. There was a trickle of water flowing through Calf Canyon, and there we saw some toads and a bat. The canyon was mighty green and it looked very inviting to hike further up-canyon past the end of the road.


Globemallow at the Buckhorn rock art panel
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R7rgXsDfnB8/TeRdLW5dX4I/AAAAAAAATFM/eioYJv2kH9c/s640/IMG_4000.JPG

Buckhorn pictographs
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jsqAzPzzK8c/TeRdMCx5fJI/AAAAAAAATFQ/FAnEH5l53wY/s640/IMG_4005.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qvGJYoAO7ZE/TeRdOtbhtbI/AAAAAAAATFU/X5fifvtSYRY/s640/IMG_4007.JPG

Toads in Calf Canyon
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mpQ_f9bnDT0/TeRdPnCO5wI/AAAAAAAATFY/YzI0NjrzZVc/s640/IMG_4012.JPG

Bat in Calf Canyon
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--R0BZu7FqcM/TeRdQcU42BI/AAAAAAAATFc/GbBs8vfS1CM/s640/IMG_4016.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-F55L3GHIi8s/TeRdTF2luqI/AAAAAAAATFk/GXXfTmwrkHQ/s640/IMG_4021.JPG


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8cs7Dpd6FI

A pond in Calf Canyon
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1h_7Yv6Dxlo/TeRdU41DgxI/AAAAAAAATFo/_tHVg46M59M/s640/IMG_4024.JPG

End of the road in Calf Canyon
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-WMqP8LiKtoc/TeRdWbXQAaI/AAAAAAAATFs/I2ZHKZq1j1c/s640/IMG_4026.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bKFl1H7lZ3U/TeRdX9TcDHI/AAAAAAAATFw/4h3PCWQknTQ/s640/IMG_4027.JPG

Pine Canyon
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7hgFllw5osw/TeRdZk7646I/AAAAAAAATF0/YzY83PNJ188/s640/IMG_4034.JPG

Cactus growing on a boulder back at camp
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jq_n1eplTTw/TeRdcg6o88I/AAAAAAAATF8/e6ZxW10NuJc/s640/IMG_4043.JPG

Friday evening sunset
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nuiB7NxQrnE/TeRddM_k_VI/AAAAAAAATGA/yiZCB6-MMEg/s640/IMG_4046.JPG


Saturday was a long, fun-filled day. We rode along the old railroad grade at the base of Cedar Mountain and checked the many petroglyph panels. Then it was a fast jaunt over to Box Flat for lunch, and after eating we explored a nearby cave. After returning to camp that evening, the kids and I hiked up Cedar Mountain above camp.


Petroglyphs along the base of Cedar Mountain
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R3WZh51gXaA/TeRdghN0oXI/AAAAAAAATGM/iz_MHsmYsj8/s640/IMG_4059.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E6SC3q0yyjk/TeRdiE1SXeI/AAAAAAAATGQ/GtAxtV5ATIs/s640/IMG_4061.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xgrFitPn8WY/TeRdle8lBkI/AAAAAAAATGY/IEUYiqR1rMs/s640/IMG_4067.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-rtwN6Q4jm3U/TeRdogqBj7I/AAAAAAAATGo/SvYa041BV9M/s640/IMG_4073.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oPZsM2Mxoyg/TeRdqBRGtlI/AAAAAAAATGw/2W_CyAPy524/s640/IMG_4077.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-soFoeV1qqO8/TeRdrfvfgaI/AAAAAAAATG0/F5TAIkFQeDw/s640/IMG_4081.JPG

Riding along the old railroad grade
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5Zg9MdBB9yg/TeRdpeOFZVI/AAAAAAAATGs/trBolbBmzHs/s640/IMG_4076.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-dtMPaqoBZ-s/TeRdtM4d3KI/AAAAAAAATG4/SnqMZeUDJ2U/s640/IMG_4090.JPG

Kiln near the railroad grade
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gEPaSFSP4xs/TeRdwrD3YCI/AAAAAAAATHE/DCj7RO37rKE/s640/IMG_4101.JPG

Culvert under the grade
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FCNZuD3d4ZU/TeRdxGDzmqI/AAAAAAAATHI/6ksUfaTESVs/s640/IMG_4102.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LN-h9wBflxQ/TeRdx3WcAdI/AAAAAAAATHM/e00RVdiMHic/s640/IMG_4104.JPG

Cut along the grade
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Pgl_G-FWjxE/TeRd0pqF-HI/AAAAAAAATHU/xCSRfHKMjfY/s640/IMG_4106.JPG

Box Flat was surprisingly green
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C2HygAdW1Vs/TeRd1RTh5MI/AAAAAAAATHY/X04i3lvqwLM/s640/IMG_4111.JPG

Above the cave
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-d9Uq9iFothI/TeRd5wbGozI/AAAAAAAATHk/RsojtSLjP8U/s640/IMG_4119.JPG

I dropped my gear here to explore the cave
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-utv94NB4ugo/TeRd77X_AkI/AAAAAAAATHs/7zuML8-NfIY/s640/IMG_4126.JPG

My family waited near the entrance while I went deep inside
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GPQKaT2k1Y0/TeRd-EkaQGI/AAAAAAAATH4/kR1k3RKy23Y/s640/IMG_4133.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Npm2BZ4VadI/TeRd_lth_oI/AAAAAAAATIA/cATsFEjlJyQ/s640/IMG_4140.JPG

A water course has carved the cave out deep below a thick sandstone layer
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GnUF9Lx_W6M/TeReArBp9TI/AAAAAAAATIE/iYtiB5g_8VQ/s640/IMG_4141.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-0LT68YwzMto/TeReDNwzS3I/AAAAAAAATIQ/4GjJ2Llb488/s640/IMG_4152.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-2KmfVF6dbNY/TeReE0YCFfI/AAAAAAAATIY/u_z2QVn43nk/s640/IMG_4158.JPG

Cave entrance
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cyDz2JieP7c/TeReP6QrzlI/AAAAAAAATI8/TLAnnIhSXuo/s640/IMG_4180.JPG

Climbing Cedar Mountain above camp
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-sWT-mg4nJq4/TeReVge3hPI/AAAAAAAATJY/02rfCVLPv_s/s640/IMG_4207.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-aX3RtJNMGog/TeReYGPsU5I/AAAAAAAATJg/z80gJtwq-Io/s640/IMG_4219.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LwV0oZu9vbs/TeReZJuraPI/AAAAAAAATJk/yH2SHtoPovY/s640/0528011815.JPG

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9I59lCUW1hA/TeRedf3OGwI/AAAAAAAATKI/W3RgeiHH22c/s640/IMG_4252.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UfRf-_Kt_Y8/TeRefe1Vj4I/AAAAAAAATKU/sNX-EZudI9I/s640/IMG_4257.JPG


Sunday was a relatively easy day. We rode to "Hamburger Rocks," then to the end of the road at Hambrick Bottom. On the way back to camp, I stopped to photograph a gopher snake, but it slithered away from me and crawled up into my wife's ATV. It took about 10 minutes to get it to leave. Later in the afternoon, I rode up a gnarly trail on Cedar Mountain north of camp, then took another trail up to Little Cedar Mountain and enjoyed some nice views of Buckhorn Flat.


Hamburger Rocks
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-sqCM_MPuuCs/TeRehGkPIMI/AAAAAAAATKc/8_m_gdLWaOY/s640/IMG_4261.JPG

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-53tZBd3-kUQ/TeRekYzDtKI/AAAAAAAATKo/8KUqLTfHMYQ/s640/IMG_4270.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-xDYlyLCH5TY/TeRemOtBaEI/AAAAAAAATKs/t4AacQQg8w4/s640/IMG_4271.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GEsu16u7kG8/TeRem3bzflI/AAAAAAAATKw/3BnxXIk0kEY/s640/IMG_4277.JPG

San Rafael River at Hambrick Bottom
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-pxP8e6vuGH8/TeReov3tB-I/AAAAAAAATK4/yA7VFUVhtac/s640/IMG_4281.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X1BRzDe4gj4/TeRet7Abl1I/AAAAAAAATLc/v2G_10FioW0/s800/IMG_4295_stitch.jpg

Gopher snake in the 4-wheeler
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9t9gXLjcw-Q/TeRevQjO0uI/AAAAAAAATLk/NSNVJ9IbCJ0/s640/IMG_4305.JPG

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3cqVirJRqWc/TeRewFJdkBI/AAAAAAAATLo/TvAKB3NrIew/s640/IMG_4307.JPG

Trail up Cedar Mountain
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-IJBWGN85LhE/TeRe1XdOTwI/AAAAAAAATL8/RjVaI36n974/s640/IMG_4322.JPG

Parked above camp
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-SW3-lF51hW8/TeRe1yPolxI/AAAAAAAATMA/tYrJzz72e8A/s640/IMG_4330.JPG

The main road up Little Cedar Mountain
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-kfQ-phmX0PM/TeRe4Lo6ZAI/AAAAAAAATMI/qj0FRDNpKq4/s640/IMG_4344.JPG

Parked near the summit of Little Cedar Mountain
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Vs04dRMI36I/TeRe4xdGhTI/AAAAAAAATMM/zL05jZXvy2k/s640/IMG_4347.JPG

Pano from Little Cedar
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-m-HtAONFr2A/TeRe5PScTyI/AAAAAAAATMQ/a2CrmpoObzY/s800/IMG_4353_stitch.jpg

Torrey at the summit
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oWCIGlleQ6w/TeRe6jjmuvI/AAAAAAAATMU/E0ry03EOrdM/s640/IMG_4362.JPG


Here's the full photo gallery:
MemorialWeekendSanRafaelSwell
https://picasaweb.google.com/Dennis.Udink/MemorialWeekendSanRafaelSwell#

oldno7
06-01-2011, 11:49 AM
Nice panels, Dennis. Looks like a nice weekend with family:2thumbs:

zzyzx
06-01-2011, 01:48 PM
Great TR and pics - THX!

ibenick
06-01-2011, 05:01 PM
Awesome. :cool2:

bowjunkie
06-01-2011, 09:31 PM
nice way to spend the weekend !! cool pics to :nod:

Kokopelli
06-02-2011, 05:10 AM
Nice trip report, looks like a lot of fun. The swell sure is green this year!

glasscutter
06-03-2011, 09:27 AM
Cool weekend trip report, can't wait to go now. thanks

accadacca
06-07-2011, 12:22 PM
Great TR! :hail2thechief: