San Rafael Swell Mountain Biking Trip

Sample Itinerary

Please note: this is just one possible itinerary for a four-day bike trip in the Swell. There are several different routes we could plan, depending on the interests and abilities of the group.

The night before your trip:

Meet us at Holiday headquarters in Green River, Utah, (7:00 p.m., Mountain Time). We’ll do brief introductions and an orientation, open our store so you can buy any last minute items (see our packing checklist for items we stock), and do a thorough pre-trip inspection of your bikes. If you plan to bring your own bike, please make sure that it is in good shape. We strongly suggest getting it serviced by a professional shop prior to the trip. Guests with bikes that don’t pass our safety inspection will be asked to rent a Holiday bike for $220.00/person. We’ll load up bikes tonight to make tomorrow’s departure easy and smooth.

Day 1:

It’s a 45-minute van ride west on I-70 to the Head of Sinbad exit. Warm up with an easy ride along a dirt road that passes under the highway and through rolling grasslands. Our first stop is at a 4,000-year-old pictograph panel, hidden among the juniper trees at the base of a massive cliff. Ride south back under the highway and stop for lunch at a second pictograph panel. In the afternoon we’ll visit Swasey’s Cabin, an old homestead site. Choose to add a five-mile (round trip) ride down to Eagle Canyon Arch, or pick one of two ways to climb up to our first night’s camp below Family Butte. Relax and stretch your legs after a full day of riding while your guides whip up a magical camp dinner for you – there’s no skimping on the meals out here!

Day 2:

Watch the sun rise over Reds Canyon, then ride down into its warmth. This morning gives us a long descent with a side trip to the Lucky Strike Mine. End up at the Muddy Creek, which may or may not have water in it. Eat lunch under a huge cottonwood tree and admire the Hondu Arch high above. What goes down must go up; we’ll ride back up out of Red’s Canyon along a steep but well-graded dirt road and then out to our campsite on the edge of the world. Eat a well-earned lasagna dinner while staring out at Temple Mountain, the San Rafael Reef, and three different mountain ranges!

Day 3:

Fuel up with coffee and eggs before packing up camp this morning. Ride downhill toward Temple Mountain. Take the easy road down or opt for the more technical 4×4 route. Either way, we’ll end up on the Behind-the-Reef Road. Set up an early camp at the head of Chute Canyon and spend the afternoon hiking through its shady confines.

Day 4:

Opt for a leisurely morning and an easy ride back out to Temple Mountain and the Temple Wash pictograph panel. Alternatively, squeeze in another quick hike in the next slot canyon over, or explore more of the Behind-the-Reef Road before riding out to pavement. Enjoy one last gourmet lunch together before our passenger van arrives to drive us the hour and a half back to Green River. Our expected time of arrival back at our headquarters is 3:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Please keep in mind that this is just a sample itinerary. The biggest advantage of our San Rafael Swell mountain biking trip is the flexibility of the daily itinerary and the nearly limitless options for riding and hiking. The Swell is known for its spectacular scenery and abundance of dispersed camping sites. Old mining roads and ATV trails offer the ultimate opportunity for a “choose your own adventure” kind of trip. Weather, campsite availability, and the need to be courteous of other groups can also affect our itinerary.