Hiking in the North Unit of the San Rafael Swell-November 2021

 Finally managed to get away for a 3 day hiking/camping adventure.  I returned to the San Rafael Swell, west of Green River Utah.  I love this area.  National Park level scenery with virtually no one there.  I did three hikes.  A 5 mile RT hike up Cow/Calf canyon in the late afternoon of the day I drove there.  Managed to get back and set the tent up just before dark.  It rained for a half hour  right after I crawled into the tent around 8:30.  Lows each night were between 28 and 30 degrees, so frost every morning.  Nice and toasty in my zero degree bag, but tough getting up in the early morning.  The second day I drove the Mexican Mountain road to the end (around 14 miles)…took almost an hour, a fairly rough gravel road.  I hiked 13 miles RT by the San Rafael River, and up spring canyon (lots of spring canyons all over red rock desert country).  There was supposed to be an arch back in the area but I looked diligently and never saw it.  Beautiful hike though, peaking yellow cottonwoods along parts of the San Rafael, along with the usual wonderful red rock scenery.  Final day I did a 15 mile (was supposed to be 13 miles but I got lost) loop in Sids mountain wilderness.  So 33 miles in 3 days and I saw exactly zero other people.  Truly amazing.  I drove all the way back after the 15 mile hike, and had bad winter driving conditions from Vail to Georgetown CO.  I was beat by the time I got home around 11:30 pm.  It was worth it though…a great trip.