🚗 Lost Roads & Ancient Art: Exploring Black Dragon Canyon in Utah’s San Rafael Swell

January 19, 2024

Welcome back to our journey through Utah’s most scenic and remote corners. This week, we’re heading deep into the San Rafael Swell to explore Black Dragon Canyon—a rugged 15-mile trail just outside Green River that’s brimming with ancient rock art, striking geology, and a taste of true desert solitude.

In case you missed our last episode, we were exploring some of the quirkier corners of Green River, UT, discovering oddities and hidden gems that most travelers drive right past. But this time, the real adventure begins as we dive off I-70 into one of the state’s most underrated landscapes.

🌄 The San Rafael Swell: Utah’s Untamed Wilderness

Before we get into the trail, let’s talk about the San Rafael Swell—a 75-mile long, 30-mile wide geologic uplift that offers all the dramatic rock formations and ancient history of a national park, without the crowds or rules. Towering sandstone reefs, twisted canyons, and massive buttes dominate this area. It’s wild, remote, and breathtaking—exactly the kind of place we love.

It’s said that John Wesley Powell called it a "land of desolation... where civilization can find no resting place." And yet, it’s been a home to ancient cultures, a haven for outlaws, and a challenge for modern explorers.

🏞️ Finding the Trail: Black Dragon Draw

We had originally planned to tackle a few trails deeper in the Swell, but unexpected snow forced us to change our plans. After a propane refill in Green River, we turned our sights to Black Dragon Canyon, which sits just 15 miles west of town and is easily accessible from I-70.

The east entrance to the trail turns off the highway and quickly greets you with something extraordinary—a stunning pictograph panel nestled into the cliffside. These ancient images are part of the Barrier Canyon style, known for their elongated, ghostly human and animal forms.

🖌️ Ancient Pictographs and the “Black Dragon” Mystery

One of the main attractions of Black Dragon Canyon is its namesake: a pictograph that early visitors believed looked like a dragon. Unfortunately, in an attempt to “enhance” the visibility, someone once chalked the outlines—causing permanent damage by combining several distinct figures into one dragon-like image.

Despite this damage, many of the original pictographs and petroglyphs remain visible. These are sacred cultural relics, and we encourage everyone to view them with respect and never touch or alter them in any way.

🚙 The Trail Itself: Moderate, Scenic, and a Bit Rocky

From the panel, the trail continues westward. While the full trail is about 15 miles. There’s a staging area just past a gate, and beyond this point, the road narrows and presents a few rock obstacles that require careful line picking.

We recommend high-clearance 4WD vehicles, but if you're unsure, you can always drive in as far as you’re comfortable and hike the rest. Some visitors do exactly that, especially if they’re primarily interested in seeing the rock art.

🛠️ Trailside Troubles: Mechanical Gremlins

Our rig, Julius, decided to act up again—this time with starting issues. Luckily, The Hubs found a workaround that got us going, but it’s another reminder that when you're in places like the Swell, self-sufficiency is key. We'll definitely be getting it checked out once we're home.

⛰️ Overlooks, Side Roads, and Campsites

Around mile 5, we reached a natural overlook, and the terrain began to feel repetitive beyond that. Rather than complete the full trail, we turned around and opted to explore a few side trails instead.

This was where the Swell rewarded our curiosity. We found a few promising primitive campsites, the kind of hidden gems we file away for future trips. The land here feels truly untouched—no signs, no fences, no noise. Just wide open desert sky.

☁️ Watching the Weather: When to Call It Quits

After a while, clouds began rolling in and the ground started to feel a little too slick for comfort. Wet desert roads can go from drivable to dangerous in minutes, so we made the call to turn back and head out.

But we weren’t done yet.

🪨 The Black Dragon View Area: One Last Look

We drove up to the Black Dragon View Area, just to get a look at the parts of the trail we hadn’t taken. And guess what? We had actually seen the most scenic portion already.

From above, the landscape stretches for miles—a maze of canyons, ridges, and reefs that form a natural fortress around this ancient, sacred place. It’s the kind of view that makes you feel both incredibly small and deeply connected to something ancient and enduring.

🤠 History Lives Here

Though it feels remote, this area has been traversed for centuries. Ancient Indigenous tribes, Mormon pioneers, cowboys, outlaws, and miners all carved out lives here. In fact, I-70, which now cuts right through the Swell, was only blasted through in 1970—before that, even modern travelers had to detour 20 miles north to avoid these natural barriers.

Everywhere you look, there are stories in the stone.

🧭 Planning Your Own Visit to Black Dragon Canyon

Here are a few things to know before you go:

• 📍 Location: 15 miles west of Green River, UT. The east entrance is directly off I-70.

• 🛻 Trail Info: Approx. 15 miles long. Moderate difficulty. High-clearance 4WD recommended.

• 🎨 Rock Art: Viewable near the east entrance. Please do not touch or deface.

• 🏕️ Camping: A few dispersed campsites are available off trail.

• 🌦️ Weather: Check conditions—desert roads become impassable quickly when wet.

• 🚫 Leave No Trace: Pack out all trash and tread lightly.

📅 What’s Next?

Our journey through remote Utah continues! In the next episode, we’re checking out more rock art panels, an abandoned ghost town, and taking a wild off-road trip across the top of the Book Cliffs.

If you love exploring places where few people go, don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on YouTube. Every week, we bring you new stories, travel tips, and off-the-beaten-path adventures from the wildest parts of the West.

🔖 Final Thoughts: Why We Keep Coming Back

There’s just something about the San Rafael Swell. It’s wild, untamed, and always full of surprises. Every time we come here, we discover something new—whether it’s an ancient petroglyph, a hidden campsite, or a mechanical problem that forces us to change our plans (again).

But maybe that’s the point. Out here, you’re not in control. Nature is. And that’s what makes it magical.

Until next time, stay curious, stay respectful, and keep exploring.