Crack Canyon Hike, Crack Canyon Wilderness, Green River, Utah
Mike and I decided that for my birthday we would go to the desert to seek out some much needed sun after we got back from the storm-filled Alaska trip that lacked sunshine. Up until this point, we had never really stopped to check out Utah’s San Rafael Swell, and with a forecast for the upper 60s and sunshine, we decided it was time to check it out. The first hike we did was Crack Canyon in the Crack Canyon Wilderness, not far from Goblin Valley State Park.
We were the first car to park at the trailhead that weekday morning. We set out from the trailhead and had to walk about a mile on a dirt road before we started entering the canyon. Immediately, the views were breathtaking. This hike meanders along the bottom of the canyon with some spots being just wider than a person. The bottom of the canyon was mostly dry, but we did find a few shallow pools of water than we decided to stem over so we didn’t have to get our feet wet or take our shoes off (plus, it was a lot of fun!).
The hike involved a little scrambling here and there, but nothing that made us uncomfortable until we made it to what is called “The Drop.” I see why most people turn around here. It had a pretty nasty pool of water below it which raised the stakes to not fall for two people that would be sleeping in a van together without showering that night. After some maneuvering, we made it through, which I found worth it as my favorite part of the hike was after this part. Ultimately, the canyon started opening back up and we continued to follow it for another mile or so until we decided it was time to turn around. We headed back to the car the same way we came out.
Overall, I absolutely loved this hike. We only saw ~20 people on our way out, which was a fraction of what we saw the following day at Little Horse Canyon. I found the duration of the canyon to be beautiful and enjoyed the whole hike.
Stats: 7 miles, 500 ft of elevation gain. Since this hike is an out and back, you can make it as long or as short as you want!
