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Farnsworth Canyon

San Rafael Swell BLM, UT San Rafael Swell

Distance: 6.8 mi
Net Gain: 900 ft
Time: 3-5 hrs
YDS Rating: Class 2
ACA Rating: 3A II
Longest Rappel: 200 ft
Route: Out/Back

Effort: 3/10
Personality: 4/10
Beauty: 5/10
Solitude: 5.3/10

What do these mean? →

Route map + Trailhead

Trailhead Coordinates

38.666380, -110.615000

The directions link below drops a pin on the trailhead coordinates and lets Google Maps pick the route. If the drive has rough roads or access issues that GPS nav might get wrong, I cover that in my trip report.

Trip report

Technical canyon warning

This is a technical canyon requiring canyoneering skills and specialized equipment. If you are not experienced with building anchors or using the gear required for technical canyoneering, do not attempt this route.

Jun 2, 2018 — Trailhead coordinates listed are located on roads not recognized on Google Maps. Turn off the paved road here (38.652285,-110.6534277) and follow the dirt road to the trailhead.

A hike up Farnsworth Canyon with a short section of narrows and a mini side-trip to view some petroglyphs is otherwise an unremarkable sandy wash. Eventually after a long walk, head right around a massive rock butte and find a defunct mining road that leads up on the butte's north side to a chute to gain the rim of the butte. From here, stay close to the north rim and descend to the third of the three canyons that you pass. Take the ridge between the second and third to find the rappel that goes through a really pretty arch. After this big rappel, there's an optional rappel (can be downclimbed easily on the left) and continue back down Farnsworth Canyon.

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Photos

29 photos

Starting into Farnsworth Canyon.
Narrow section at the start of Farnsworth Canyon. There aren't any more narrows until the rappel.
The wash leading through Farnsworth Canyon.
Heading up on a short detour to some petroglyphs.
Petroglyphs in Farnsworth Canyon.
Continuing up Farnsworth Canyon.
The big rock butte that we will eventually circle completely around.
On the north side of the big rock butte, following a deteriorated mining road.
You can see the gully to scramble up in the center of this phoot.
Toward the top of the gully, looking down.
Follow the rim.
Head of our chosen canyon to rappel (the third of the three). Head down the ridge between two and three to get to the rappel station.
The rappel.
A mini rappel before starting the big rappel, both use the same anchor. Our rope got stuck and took five of us to pull it, so be really careful with rope placement.
The arch!
Close-up of the arch, just before doing the big rappel.
Looking up toward the rappel.
Some narrow obstacles on the way down from the rappel.
Optional rappel, but a gully on the left is an easy Class 3 downclimb.
Looking back at the optional rappel (left), downclimb alternative (right).
Heading out of the canyon we rappelled into.
Looking back toward our canyon (left).
Back into Farnsworth Canyon proper.

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Hire or refer me as a web developer, or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I'm not sponsored, so it's funded by yours truly. It also takes a ton of work to edit photos and write these reports. I really appreciate it!

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