San Rafael Swell Mountain Bike… (trip)
San Rafael Swell Mountain Bike Trip
- United States
- Active & Adventure
| from $1,140* per person | 4 Days | April, May, September, October |
| Comfort accommodations | Exertion level: 5 | |
| Operator: Holiday River Expeditions | 12 people max | |
Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, Natural Bridges, Dinosaur, Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase... in a state brimming with national parks, it's easy to overlook another national treasure. Utah locals call it 'THE SWELL' a three thousand-foot fold of sandstone and shale on the edge of the Colorado Plateau. San Rafael Swell mountain biking tours take you into a place where it's hidden canyons provided sanctuary to old west outlaw Butch Cassidy. Biking into the San Rafael Swell's red-wall canyons are your sanctuary from the everyday grind.
Mountain biking in the San Rafael Swell will take you back in time past abandoned mining camps and turn of the century ranches. Stop to explore cowboy camps, prehistoric Indian rock art, we might even see a few dinosaur prints. Your ride ends at the Wedge Overlook, Utah's 'Little Grand Canyon'. A thousand feet below, the San Rafael River counts another day in the eons... from above we count ourselves fortunate that such a place exists at all. Biking in the San Rafael Swell will be a mountain bike trip to remember!
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Locations visited/nearby
San Rafael Swell , Southern Utah , Red Rock Country, United States
0 testimonials about this trip.
3 testimonials about the provider, Holiday River Expeditions:
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Reviewer: Geralyn DeFelice
located in
Pittsburgh,
PA
USA
"Just want to thank you for everything and to let you know that I TOTALLY LOVED THE TRIP--WILL REMEMBER IT ALL MY LIFE! I will never be the same after experiencing the river as we did! Personally, I felt the entire trip was perfect. What a great group of people Holiday has! Our guides were great and we so enjoyed them. The food was delicious, loved Clari, the yoga and massages, our hikes, the rapids, our campfire...perfect!"
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Reviewer: Ryan Higginson
located in
Salt Lake City,
UT
USA
I have done the white rim with holiday 5 times, and each trip is the highlight of the year for me. The scenery is spectacular. The bigger than life red rock spires and bluffs that are prevalent throughout the ride give an abundance of photo opportunities. Doing the ride in 3 or 4 days allows for enough time to take in the scenery, and still get plenty of biking in each day. The guides for each of my trips have created an atmosphere of lighthearted fun and excitement balanced with plenty of knowledge about the geography and native american indians who inhabited the area in the past. I'm always impressed with the great food they prepare and the organization around the kitchen. The white rim trip has always been an unforgettable experience.
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Reviewer: Kim England
located in
Scottsdale,
AZ
USA
We had a great time. We appreciated the informed guides and the educational experience they were able to provide. Our 7 year old thinks it was the BEST trip ever! The kids activity kit came in handy. Making friendship bracelets and sand castles. The ducky was his favorite! Also, We never expected the food to be one of the highlights of a camping/rafting trip!
Itinerary
One of the advantages of a bike trip is the flexibility of the daily itinerary. It can vary widely from one trip to the next based on group desires, Mother Nature, and courtesy for other groups on the trail. The �Swell� is well known for its spectacular scenery and abundance of historical sites. Dispersed camping offers the ultimate opportunity for choose your own adventure exploration of the vast maze of old mining roads and slot canyons. Expect to ride 20-30 miles per day.
Day 1: Meet us at Holiday River and Bike Expeditions headquarters (7:00 a.m., Mountain Time), we will issue your bags. You can buy any last minute items from our accessories store at this time (see our packing checklist for a list of items you can find at our store). Before leaving our headquarters, each guest along with a Holiday guide will perform a pre-trip inspection of your bikes. If you are providing your own bike, please make sure that it is in good repair, we recommend a complete service by a professional shop prior to the trip. Guests with bikes� that fail our inspection will be asked to rent a Holiday bike for $170.00/person. A one and one-half hour van ride takes us to Temple Mountain. The ride begins with a dirt trail that cuts through the San Rafael Reef, then parallels the uplifted rock faces. Stop and see a three thousand year old pictograph panel in the first mile. Test your skills with a quick sampling of the variety of roads, trails and terrain the trip offers. Choose a longer afternoon ride, or shorter ride and an optional hike. Spend the evening in Chute Canyon, just south of the Behind the Reef Road.
Day 2: Continuing southwest, the rough 4wd road climbs and descends through Little Wild Horse and Bell Canyons. A turn to the north at Ding and Dang Dome climbs up onto the plateau. At 6500 ft., the isolated mountain ranges that dot the red rock canyon country of the Colorado plateau become visible. Take in expansive views of the virtually undeveloped 3100 square miles of San Rafael Swell while riding on an improved road for the last few miles before camp overlooking Tomsich Butte and the Muddy Creek Drainage.
Day 3: Start the day with a nice descent to the Muddy Creek followed by a long, but gentle climb up Reds Canyon. Along the way, explore the Lucky Strike Mine, developed during the uranium boom of the 1950�s. Continue up the drainage after lunch to camp near Family Butte.
Day 4: The morning ride heads north, through a maze of old ranching and mining roads in search of sites like Eagle Canyon arch, the Lone Warrior and Head of Sinbad rock art panels, and the Swasey cabin. Sites seen and miles ridden are dependent on group interests and abilities. Have lunch along the trail or at the finishing point. Our van will meet us here for a two-hour drive back to Green River. Our expected time of arrival back at our headquarters is 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
As mentioned earlier, this is a sample itinerary and should not be thought of as the trip you will experience. It is intended to give an idea of what the trip will be like. It could also be exactly what you do. Keep an open mind, be flexible, go with the flow, and enjoy!
***The Bicycling: The San Rafael bike route is a technically challenging route. This undeveloped dirt road has steep downhills, loose rocks, sand, and ruts. Riders who have no off-road bicycling experience, or who are not athletic will most likely find this trip too challenging. All riders should prepare for the trip by riding their bike on a regular basis prior to the trip.
More information from Holiday River Expeditions:
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