• Jack-it Night: April 2024 RS Meeting Hey Guest: Wed. April 3rd is the next Rising Sun meeting, and you won't want to miss it. We're doing our annual offroad recovery equipment demonstration and trail skills training aka "Jack It Night." Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. (early) Click here for all the details.

San Rafael Swell and Goblin Valley Camping and Wheeling Trip March 18-22

Shuksan

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
906
Location
Denver
I am planning to pack the family up and head to the desert to celebrate the end of this isolating winter. Our current plan is to camp near temple mountain leaving Denver on Thursday March 18th. Do some wheeling in the area, explore Goblin Valley, and just enjoy the sun (hopefully). Possibly drive some of lower San Rafael road on sunday and camp out there and then head back towards Denver on Monday.

Folks are welcome to join us. If you want to go wheel or drive more than we are planning on go for it.
 

KC Masterpiece

Hard Core 4+
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
1,291
Let me know how the weather and camping is I am hoping to get out that way in a week or so.
 

DaveInDenver

Rising Sun Ham Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
12,947
Location
Grand Junction
Can't say for sure at this point but I might tag along.

The area around Temple Mountain can be congested with toy haulers and dirt bikes and ATVs (it's the southern side of the Red, Green, Orange, Blue and 5 Miles of Hell so moto peps like to camp there) so might consider being flexible. If it's a charlie-foxtrot (Thursday may be fine) there's routes east of the Reef too difficult to drag a camper-trailer that lead from Temple Mt Road that you can find dispersed stuff.

Mid-March weather-wise can be transitional so don't completely commit to sunny and warm. If it's nice it might easily be 60s and sunny. But if it's not it could be windy with chilly rain. I was out there in mid March in 2020 and had to run the sprinkler under the truck for a day to get all the mud off! Weather was blustery that turned warmer after the front pushed through.

IMG_0488_mid.jpg


There won't be snow left in the southern Swell. Northern side might still melting away in low spots, so that's where you might find the mud still. I was out there with friends on spring break riding mountain bikes in late March 2019 and it was really nice but the edges of the roads were still drying out.

IMG_1113_mid.jpg
 
Last edited:

Shuksan

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
906
Location
Denver
Can't say for sure at this point but I might tag along.

The area around Temple Mountain can be congested with toy haulers and dirt bikes and ATVs (it's the southern side of the Red, Green, Orange, Blue and 5 Miles of Hell so moto peps like to camp there) so might consider being flexible. If it's a charlie-foxtrot (Thursday may be fine) there's routes east of the Reef too difficult to drag a camper-trailer that lead from Temple Mt Road that you can find dispersed stuff.

Mid-March weather-wise can be transitional so don't completely commit to sunny and warm. If it's nice it might easily be 60s and sunny. But if it's not it could be windy with chilly rain. I was out there in mid March in 2020 and had to run the sprinkler under the truck for a day to get all the mud off! Weather was blustery that turned warmer after the front pushed through.

View attachment 92927

There won't be snow left in the southern Swell. Northern side might still melting away in low spots, so that's where you might find the mud still. I was out there with friends on spring break riding mountain bikes in late March 2019 and it was really nice but the edges of the roads were still drying out.

View attachment 92928
Yeah I don't love camping by those users so much, so we will certainly be flexible. If you or anyone has some coordinates for something in that area that they like please post and/or tag along and show us.
 

bassguyry

Commander + Cruise Moab Chairman
Staff member
Moderator
Cruise Moab Committee
Joined
Jun 14, 2018
Messages
1,104
Location
Arvada, CO
I'm probably in for this. I've been wanting to get to the Swell sooner rather than later.
 

KC Masterpiece

Hard Core 4+
Joined
May 4, 2019
Messages
1,291
Looking forward to a trip report! Hoping to take 4 days to sneak off to UT around the 12th and have been considering spending that time in the same area.
 

Smakee

Locked
Joined
Oct 15, 2015
Messages
237
Location
Denver, CO
I’ll try to put together my trip report this weekend. My son and I were out there four days in February and had a great time.
 

Shuksan

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
906
Location
Denver
Everyone wants to hit up the Swell right now it seems. Just a bit of an update on our plans.

We are planning to leave Denver as early as possible with kids etc on Thursday 3/18. Planning to camp to the West of Goblin valley around here:

but @Inukshuk suggested we look maybe a bit further west and prioritize morning sun this time of year.

Probably planning to explore goblin valley on saturday. Maybe wheel/explore Friday/Sunday. We have some friends from SLC coming down Fri-Sun am, and our neighbors are gonna break in their new 4x4 sprinter Fri-Mon, so it should be a good time. Maybe now we'll try and meet up with @bassguyry on Thursday afternoon or Friday.
 

DaveInDenver

Rising Sun Ham Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
12,947
Location
Grand Junction
Everyone wants to hit up the Swell right now it seems. Just a bit of an update on our plans.

We are planning to leave Denver as early as possible with kids etc on Thursday 3/18. Planning to camp to the West of Goblin valley around here:

but @Inukshuk suggested we look maybe a bit further west and prioritize morning sun this time of year.

Probably planning to explore goblin valley on saturday. Maybe wheel/explore Friday/Sunday. We have some friends from SLC coming down Fri-Sun am, and our neighbors are gonna break in their new 4x4 sprinter Fri-Mon, so it should be a good time. Maybe now we'll try and meet up with @bassguyry on Thursday afternoon or Friday.
LOL. There was a time when you could go to the Swell and never see a soul for a week. It's become the hip place, so get in while the getting's good. The BLM is working the new travel plan and there's a bunch of new Wilderness that'll impact dispersed camping.
 

Shuksan

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Messages
906
Location
Denver
LOL. There was a time when you could go to the Swell and never see a soul for a week. It's become the hip place, so get in while the getting's good. The BLM is working the new travel plan and there's a bunch of new Wilderness that'll impact dispersed camping.
I don't envy the bureaucrats who are tasked with balancing politician, activist, and various user groups in these situations. One of the main reasons I bought a 4wd was to be able to get out and camp further than others. Its amazing what "overlanding" has done. Who would've thought there was this room for growth in car camping.
 

DaveInDenver

Rising Sun Ham Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
12,947
Location
Grand Junction
I don't envy the bureaucrats who are tasked with balancing politician, activist, and various user groups in these situations. One of the main reasons I bought a 4wd was to be able to get out and camp further than others. Its amazing what "overlanding" has done. Who would've thought there was this room for growth in car camping.
Guess I've contributed my fair share to the Swell deluge, certainly did increase since moving to GJ. You'd be lucky if a few trucks and Jeeps wandered by but now it's constant side-by-sides.

swellgeneraltrips.png
 

Inukshuk

Rising Sun Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2005
Messages
7,271
Location
Denver, CO
now it's constant side-by-sides.
I am loath to contradict the Dave and I'll just make this one comment and let it go: My experience in recent years has not been that of constant side-by-sides. It is still magical. Go enjoy.

@Shuksan my comment was to find a spot where the sun will hit you in the am. The ridge winds in and out so you can pick morning shade or afternoon shade.
 

DaveInDenver

Rising Sun Ham Guru
Joined
Jun 8, 2006
Messages
12,947
Location
Grand Junction
I am loath to contradict the Dave and I'll just make this one comment and let it go: My experience in recent years has not been that of constant side-by-sides. It is still magical. Go enjoy.

@Shuksan my comment was to find a spot where the sun will hit you in the am. The ridge winds in and out so you can pick morning shade or afternoon shade.
Indeed a matter of perception and perhaps embellishment. It seems more busy in places it wasn't even just a year ago. When hiking beyond the Wilderness boundaries I don't feel comfortable just stashing my bike any more. ;) We can love places to death. But I'm also keenly aware from old timers who speak of the days before people like me ruined the place by moving here.
 
Last edited:
Top