Roaming Around Southeast Utah

October/November 2018  |  Utah

In late October and early November we spent a dozen days camping and backpacking around in the deserts and canyonlands of southern Utah, including the San Rafael Swell, Robbers Roost/Dirty Devil area, and Cedar Mesa. Though the days were short and the nights cold, it's always worthwhile to spend time in these wonderful, wild, and lonely places.

Sunlight in the San Rafael Swell just north of I-70.

Sunlight in the San Rafael Swell just north of I-70.

Hiking near Muddy Creek - San Rafael Swell, Utah.

Hiking near Muddy Creek - San Rafael Swell, Utah.

Morning in a remote canyon system in the heart of the San Rafael Swell.

Morning in a remote canyon system in the heart of the San Rafael Swell.

A gnarled cottonwood shows off its autumn colors in late October.

A gnarled cottonwood shows off its autumn colors in late October.

Sleeping in a remote canyon, on a remote planet, in a remote galaxy.

Sleeping in a remote canyon, on a remote planet, in a remote galaxy.

Glowing canyon cottonwood.

Glowing canyon cottonwood.

A brilliant crimson sunset over the Dirty Devil River, Utah.

A brilliant crimson sunset over the Dirty Devil River, Utah.

Hiking in a slot canyon.

Hiking in a slot canyon.

Purple slot.

Purple slot.

Canyon temple.

Canyon temple.

Psychedelic hiker.

Psychedelic hiker.

A bighorn sheep surveys the view in red rock country.

A bighorn sheep surveys the view in red rock country.

Sunset over the Dirty Devil River, Utah.

Sunset over the Dirty Devil River, Utah.

The Henry Mountains rise over a sea of sandstone.

The Henry Mountains rise over a sea of sandstone.

Ancestral Puebloan pictographs in a Cedar Mesa canyon.

Ancestral Puebloan pictographs in a Cedar Mesa canyon.

Sunlight beams through the entrance of a remarkably preserved ancient kiva in Cedar Mesa.

Sunlight beams through the entrance of a remarkably preserved ancient kiva in Cedar Mesa.

A never ending sunset on Cedar Mesa, Utah.

A never ending sunset on Cedar Mesa, Utah.