⚡ The Quick Scoop
The Vibe: Exploring a completely unique, textured slot canyon with massive rock formations that look like giant honeycomb catacombs.
Location: San Rafael Swell (About 30 minutes SW of Green River, UT).
Difficulty: Mostly easy (Level 2), with a few tricky obstacles and caves to squeeze through!
Accessibility: ♿ Not wheelchair/stroller friendly. The trail involves deep sand, uneven rocky washes, and minor rock scrambling.
Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎 (4 out of 5 Diamonds!)
Crack Canyon in the San Rafael Swell is such an incredibly fun and diverse slot canyon. It is completely worth the drive down to Southern Utah to explore it! It's one of my favorite slot canyons simply because of its bizarre uniqueness.
Walking through here literally feels like you are on another planet! The cliff walls are so incredibly high, and the first part of the trail features this amazing "honeycomb" texture eroded right into the stone. The little caverns up high feel like something alien 👽 is living in them! These holes can be large enough to lay in like a catacomb, and we definitely tried to curl up inside them. It makes you feel like you are walking through a giant, rocky sponge.
👇 Choose Your Path
Exploring the Crack
Check out this quick highlight reel of our adventure through the twisted walls and deep cracks of the San Rafael Swell!
5 Tips for a Successful Trip
- Download Your Maps! While you are at home with Wi-Fi, search for "Crack Canyon Trailhead" in your map app. Download the offline map for the entire area. You will NOT have any cell service once you get there, but if you have a downloaded map, your phone's GPS dot will still work.
- Mark Your Parking Spot. The trail is easy to follow while you are in the canyon itself, but from the parking area to the start of the slot, there are a few dirt roads going different ways. Dropping a pin at your parking location will help you get back without any stressful confusion.
- Look for the Easier Way. There are a few tricky spots to scramble down. Don't go down anything unless you are absolutely sure you can get back up! In one spot with two logs, there are actually two other, easier ways to get down if you just look around.
- Know Your Limits. If you want to make it to the very end of the trail, you might need ropes and canyoneering knowledge. There is a 10-15 foot drop that is often filled with waist-deep water. This is exactly where I always turn around!
- Bring Plenty of Water! This is a harsh desert environment. Always pack more water than you think you will need.
The bumpy, textured, and incredibly unique walls of Crack Canyon.
The Cave & The Deep Drop
One of the best things about Crack Canyon is that it isn't just a flat walk; it requires a little bit of puzzle-solving to get through the obstacles!
🧗♂️ The Tight Squeeze
Remember my tip about looking for an easier way around obstacles? In one spot, there is a hidden arch/cave you can crawl through to bypass a tough, slick drop. It made it much easier to get around... well, maybe only if you are small! It was a pretty tight squeeze for Todd!
The funny thing is, slot canyon landscapes are always changing with the flash floods. I totally remember this cave squeeze from an earlier trip, but I didn't remember climbing through it this last time. The water moves the rocks and sand so much that sometimes new, easier paths open up while old ones close!
(Placeholder for your video of Todd climbing through the cave)
🛑 The Turnaround Point
About 3 miles in, you will hit a 10 to 15-foot drop-off that is almost always filled with waist-deep water. It sits in a very narrow spot of the canyon under a rock overhang. Honestly, it would be so fun to just jump in and keep going... but HOW do you get back out?
You definitely have to think through your exit strategy in slot canyons. If you are good at climbing and canyoneering, it probably wouldn't be awful to navigate out, but looking over that sheer edge, it looked way too tricky for me. That is my official turnaround point!
Join Me on the Trail (360° Virtual Hike)
The Armchair Traveler Ritual
To truly transport yourself to the San Rafael Swell: Turn up the heater in your room just a little bit, grab a giant ice-cold bottle of water, and imagine the gritty red sand under your boots. Then, use your mouse to click the arrows below and the button view on Google Maps and walk straight through the honeycomb canyon with me!
Want to see what it's really like deep inside the honeycomb walls? I created a full 360-degree trail on Google Maps! Use your mouse to click the arrows and walk straight through the canyon with me.
Kids' Scavenger Hunt!
If you're hiking with little ones, a scavenger hunt is the absolute best way to keep them entertained and motivated on the trail. I created a custom one just for this canyon!
Pro Tip: No need to pack a pencil! Just have them physically rip slightly into the edge of the paper square when they spot the item. Good luck!
✨ Ask the Canyon Guide
Curious about the waist-deep water drop-off, the honeycomb walls, or how to use offline maps? Ask our AI Guide!
The Magic is Yours
Crack Canyon is the perfect example of why I love the San Rafael Swell. It's rugged, it's wild, and it forces you to slow down and solve a few puzzles along the way. Be safe, download those maps, and enjoy the honeycomb catacombs!
👽 Easter Egg Hunt: Did you spot the hidden Alien emoji in today's story? Tell me where you found it in the comments!
Sending Love and Positive Vibes,
Shauna @ VRGetaway
.jpg');%20background-position:%20center%20center;%20background-size:%20cover;%20border-radius:%2012px;%20color:%20#888888;%20display:%20flex;%20height:%20350px;%20justify-content:%20center;%20margin:%2020px%200px;%20width:%20100%;)
1 Comments
Thanks for all of the information. My boyfriend and I were inspired by your post and are heading down there soon. Can we bring a water purifier or should we just pack in water? Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI would love to hear your thoughts about this area or this post. Feel free to leave a comment here.