The Swell is a 75-mile dome of upthrust rock in central Utah — a maze of canyons, buttes, and dirt two-tracks that rewards a high-clearance vehicle and a full tank.
The route
Drop in from the Wedge Overlook — the “Little Grand Canyon” of the San Rafael — and string together Buckhorn Wash, the old pictograph panel, and a night under some of the darkest skies in the lower 48.
Don’t go in light
This is an expedition, not a Sunday drive. Carry recovery gear, water for two extra days, and paper maps. Cell coverage disappears the moment you leave I-70.
Keep Exploring
Trail of the Week: Mount Timpanogos
A summer push up the Wasatch's most beloved giant — wildflowers, a hanging glacier, and a summit ridge with views into three counties.
Chasing Aspen Gold in the Wasatch
For two weeks each fall, the mountainsides above the valleys turn molten. Here's how to time the bloom.
The Bear Lake Monster Was a Hoax — and Utah Has Loved It Anyway for 150 Years
A serpent in the turquoise water on the Utah–Idaho line, invented in an 1868 newspaper letter. The writer confessed it was a 'first-class lie.' The legend never cared.