Atlas › San Rafael Swell - Eastern Reef
Crack Canyon
verified
ACA 2A
High flood risk
Goblin Valley / Hanksville, UT
A 3 mile non-technical slot on the Eastern Reef, similar in character to Little Wild Horse but with a fraction of the traffic.
Often paired with Chute Canyon as an Eastern Reef loop; Chute is mostly walking with a few stems. Crack is the more memorable of the two and the easier objective for a half-day stop. Beta is well documented at Climb-Utah.com, Road Trip Ryan, and CanyoneeringUSA.com.
Logistics
| Manager | BLM Price Field Office, San Rafael Swell |
|---|---|
| Permit | No permit required. Dispersed BLM land. Contact BLM Price Field Office (435-636-3600) for current conditions. |
| Distance | 3 |
| Time | 2-6 hr |
| Technical | Rated 2A II (v1a1 II). Non-technical hiker slot with chockstone downclimbs and short narrows; no rope required for the standard route. Eastern Reef cousin to Little Wild Horse, similar character with less crowd. |
| Season | Year round, brutally hot Jun-Aug |
| Flood risk | High. Eastern Reef wash drainage fills fast in monsoon storms. Cancel on any forecast rain in the upper basin; the slot is the only exit. |
| Vehicle access | Passenger car when dry on the Behind the Reef road approach. |
| Crowd | Low to moderate. The proximity to Little Wild Horse pulls most traffic next door, so Crack stays quieter. |
| Coordinates | 38.6431, -110.745 |