This spring I was able to knock off a ride I’ve had on my bucket list for about a decade. The (San Rafael) Swell Night Out has intrigued me ever since I saw the route on Bikepacking.com. Their route information is fantastic, and I’d recommend checking it out for more detailed notes. The quick summary is about 70 miles and 8,000 feet of climbing, usually spread out over 2 days of riding.
With QuikrStuff based in Grand Junction, Colorado, I’m only an hour and half from the start point of this route. If you are planning trips to the Moab or Fruita areas, this is a fairly easy add on to extend your singletrack trip. Of course, I hauled my bike to the trailhead on the QuikrStuff Mach2.
Situated in central Utah, the San Rafael Swell is a sprawling geological feature measuring roughly 40 by 75 miles. This massive dome emerged approximately 60 million years ago during the Laramide orogeny, a period of intense tectonic uplift across the Colorado Plateau. Today, the area is a masterpiece of erosion, featuring a colorful palette of mesas, jagged spires, and tight slot canyons carved from warped sedimentary rock.
The region’s history is as layered as its geology, ranging from ancient Indigenous settlements to the mid-century uranium mining boom that peaked in the 1950s. For bikepackers, The Swell offers a rare combination of accessibility and profound isolation, boasting high-desert vistas that often surpass Utah’s more famous tourist hubs. I only saw 3 other groups of people while I was out. They were all Jeepers.
The journey kicks off just west of Temple Mountain, near the northern edge of Goblin Valley State Park. From there, you’ll track the backside of the San Rafael monocline—locally known as The Reef—via the stunningly scenic Behind the Reef Road. This is by far the most technically challenging part of the route. Steep, punchy climbs and descents pepper the route, and it get more and more challenging the further along you are. The last downhill into Cistern Canyon will test your technical descent skills.
As you push westward, the route descends toward the Muddy Creek drainage. This section is a mix of fast-rolling gravel and technical 4×4 tracks that snake through a kaleidoscope of sedimentary rock. You’ll ride beneath towering bluffs and warped spires—the physical scars of the massive tectonic uplift and subsequent erosion that defined this landscape. This next section boasts fantastic scenery and comparatively easy-going riding.
I rode this route as an overnighter, so it is certainly an attainable weekend outing. If you have an additional day, I’d highly recommend breaking it up into a 3 day / 2 night outing. This would allow time to stop and hike the world famous Little Wild Horse slot canyon. You could also detour to the Bunkhouse at Hidden Splendor, a historic air strip offering great views of the Muddy Creek gorge.
My route data for the two days was as follows:
Day 1 – 35.1 Miles and 4,842 feet of elevation gain over 6 hours and 9 minutes. This took me from the main Trailhead parking, across the Behind the Reef Road, and to a camp spot at Muddy Creek where I could resupply my water.
Day 2 – 32.5 miles with 3,248 feet of elevation gain over 5 hours and 6 minutes. This sent me back into the northern section of the Swell, and back to the Trailhead.
Route Highlights & Terrain
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The Hidden Splendor Loop: To the west, the path splits from the main road to visit the historic Bunkhouse at Hidden Splendor, offering a front-row seat to the deep, dramatic gorge carved by Muddy Creek.
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The Interior North: Turning clockwise, the route heads into the heart of The Swell. Here, the tracks become more established and predictable, though the scenery remains world-class.
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Hondu Arch: Keep an eye out in the northern stretch for this massive “keyhole” formation towering over the upper Muddy Creek area.
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The Final Ascent: The loop concludes in the east with a climb up Temple Mountain. This section allows riders to poke through the ruins of old uranium mines, adding a touch of grit and history to the finish.
Things to do Nearby:
Visit Goblin Valley State Park, one of the most underrated spots in Utah.
Check out Hanksville, UT. Plenty of scenic overlooks, the Mars research station, and great burgers at Stan’s.
Add on some riding in Moab or Fruita, about about an hour and a half away.
Get a QuikrStuff factory tour if you are heading through Grand Junction!
