THANKS BLM & Emery County

The Swell is truly swell. 

In some ways it is better than its Big Brothers--all the NPS Utah headliners you've grown to know and love: Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Bryce and Zion.

The key difference between The Swell and The Fab Four is your ability to actually drive to some Super Sweet Spots.  The BLM manages The Swell and they've enabled access in ways the NPS just would never do.

The BLM has made The Swell accessible and we LOVE IT!  You can drive to places that the NPS would make you hike to or buy a mule ride to.  

The scenery is spectacular beyond words. Utah tourism movers & shakers have latched onto the "playground" moniker for The Swell.  It's apt, appropriate and fun....just what a playground should be.

We did an 80-mile loop through The Swell today, basically seeing The Wedge, The Little Grand Canyon Overlook, Buckhorn Wash, the Swinging Bridge and the obligatory Buckhorn Big Boys.

The BLM and Emery County have gone all out to continue to keep these destinations accessible, user-friendly and enjoyable.

We had a DFD--A Danged Fun Day!

Weather conditions were beyond perfect.  Temp at the Swinging Bridge was easily low 70's. No wind & glorious light.

We reserved our time @ Capitol Reef  because we felt we could catch some Utah Fall Color.  Boy! Oh! Boy!  Did we ever.

The cottonwoods on The San Rafael and in Buckhorn Wash were at their peak.  Knowing cottonwoods as we do, it would be hard to imagine how they could be MORE "peaky" that they were today.  The incoming storm will surely change that.

But we caught their peak and we are grateful. They were sublime!

Buckhorn Wash is truly misnamed.  It should be Buckhorn Canyon.  It's far more dramatic than so-called Nine Mile Canyon. Driving down Buckhorn Canyon could easily be analogous to driving down a side canyon of Lower Grand Canyon.  Think Diamond Creek and you get a decent idea of the analogy.

Many of Utah's premier places "seem" to be amply promoted but sometimes we think the promoters don't really understand how to promote what they have.

Buckhorn Wash is an amazing destination.  A Prius could have driven that road today. Easily.

The Swell's landscape is very durable and isn't going to be harmed by additional usage.

We wish Emery County and the BLM (s)Well in their efforts to bring additional visitors to Swell Country.