Atlas › San Rafael Swell - South
Baptist Draw to Upper Chute
not verifiedpermit unconfirmed 2026-08-19
ACA 3B
High flood risk
Hanksville, UT
A classic short loop in the Central Swell: drop into Baptist Draw, hit the main rappel where it joins Upper Chute, then exit the chute's sculpted narrows on foot.
Cited everywhere as a great introduction to Swell canyoneering. The Upper Chute exit is shorter and the scenery payoff; longer Chute extensions exist but involve cross-country travel out of canyon. The technical content is modest; the route reads as a sandstone scramble with a single mid-grade rappel.
Logistics
| Manager | BLM Price Field Office, San Rafael Swell |
|---|---|
| Permit | RopeWiki records a Wilderness Designation note for this canyon but makes no statement about permits, and its infobox carries no Permits field, so permit status here is unverified rather than confirmed free. Dispersed BLM land in the Wilderness-designated portion of the Swell. Contact BLM Price Field Office (435-636-3600) for current conditions. |
| Time | 4-9 hr |
| Technical | Rated 3B III (v3a2 III). One to three rappels depending on linkup choices. First obstacle is a roughly 10 ft chimney down a chockstone, then a 20 ft drop best rappelled. The main rappel at the Baptist / Chute intersection is 70 to 84 ft. A final 15 to 20 ft drop over an undercut chockstone closes the slot. Standing pothole water shows up in most years and is bypassable on a high line. |
| Season | Spring through fall |
| Flood risk | High. Wilderness drainage focuses quickly through the chute; monsoon storms Jun-Aug make the exit slot a hard no. |
| Vehicle access | High clearance required on the approach road from the Hidden Splendor area. |
| Crowd | Low to moderate. The accessible-classic combination keeps a steady but never crowded trickle. |
| Coordinates | 38.6975, -110.8064 |