Black Dragon Canyon

A short photography trip into the San Rafael Swell and the Black Dragon Canyon to see some Native American pictographs that are a few millennia old.
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[@stanw909]

Just drove through there on our way back from Moab . The Interstate 70 has some amazing views . Thanks

[@dinamonaghan7524]

Great fun. Thanks for posting.

[@TheKPDX]

Really glad I found your channel. We explore this region a couple times a year and it's always nice to find little pearls from others. I really appreciate your integration of maps & on screen labeling. I imagine you will be my lunchtime viewing for a while as I eat my way through all your vids. Nice work!

[@douglasrykerd6266]

I accidentally rode my KLR down Black Dragon from the top shortly after getting it. I managed to make it without laying it down, but it was exhilarating to say the least. The pictographs are pretty cool.

[@SuperAwesomeJared]

Loved the video. Looks like it was a fun drive. Thanks for posting.

[@donm8011]

Living in Salt Lake we go through this area quite often. Never gets old. Thanks for the ride.

[@msemmahale4608]

“Just boxers and a bra,” he says. LOL. You sure kept your camera on those boxers for a good while.

[@hgj2019]

YES! We needed an opportunity for a complete, critical analysis. A FAR LONGER camera dwell was certainly in order!😎

[@dirkdiggler4470]

He acted repulsed lol would he rather see butt huggers on a boy

[@bobbyroberts1505]

Somebody didn't get attention from a girl.... So of course he has to put her down... Someone needs to grow up......

[@dinamonaghan7524]

This was cool, especially since I've never been here. Thanks.

[@hambone4402]

Very nice. Thanks for sharing.

[@michaelearl6991]

I dropped the hitchhiker off at the ghost rocks rest area or maybe I should say Backpacker because he said maybe you think I'm crazy but this is where I want out and then headed straight out toward Castle Dale which you can see from the ghost rocks rest area or just slightly west of it

[@philliphanvey6051]

I used to haul gypsum out of a couple quarries on west side of swell....I was out there every day...there's some beautiful Indian and Spanish writing on dirt road between Emery and Moore exit....I'm going out there before I get too old....I miss it...

[@exploresouthwest]

I've wanted to go out to that area on the west side; I've heard of some Indian writing there as well, some of it might be the same ones. The terrain seems much better for wide exploring than the east side for those of us that can't do crazy backpacking and canyoneering anymore.

[@ddrod1]

Awesome area down in the Swell, i run devils Racetrack a few times a year

[@jameshardy7665]

Great ending dude, My son and I spent 2 week road trip 2015 went pass this, we have had 4 road trips to UT, just can't see it all, we go out west from central TX twice a year since 2007, thanks for bringing this great video to us...

[@AllenManor]

Would love it if you did a review of your Tundra sometime.

[@utahwanderlust700]

You are aware that most of the roads in this area (of which you have driven on) were made by prospectors and miners, right? You'd be walking the Swell if it weren't for mining activities here.

[@kristophersmallsr.9395]

I can't wait to get out west again .

[@jerrianderson4867]

THANKS! And, please, what's the follow-up to this video. The suspense is killing me! Couldn't locate it.

[@GCapo]

Hey bro, could you by any chance send me this video and I could put it in my new music video called 'The Red Rocks of Utah'? Thanks

[@loanahoylman1466]

Thank you. I"m headed that way win a couple weeks. Mostly thank you for telling your audience not to make new trails. I want to yell and scream at those people who do such destruction. 'm very excited to go to Black Dragone Canyon. Thank you also for pointing out that people deface pictographs.

[@exploresouthwest]

Yeah, I'm a big believer in the "Tread Lightly" principal. The impact of vehicles and even humans on foot is incredibly damaging. It would be great if we could just hover 3ft off the ground have have zero impact. But since we cant we need to stick to the trails and roads like glue. It beats the crap out of the trails, but at least the impact is contained.

[@toddwooten7002]

where is the last set of second set of paints after you go under the freeway? how far from dutchmen arch? Is that Reid draw where you cross the dam

[@hgj2019]

Too bad you couldn’t tune into a Navajo radio station and play a little of that. I would listen to it for hours driving north of Gallup. Couldn’t understand much at all, but still enjoyed it, and miss it now. Oh yeah...you and I are definite kindred spirits - the cut out map...the public land exploitation by extractive industry...the moron tailgater... yep, we see eye to eye, at LEAST on those three issues!

[@jjkaiser1954]

Sure that wasn't the Hopi station out of Tuba City?

[@jjkaiser1954]

HOPI radio.

[@hgj2019]

@@jjkaiser1954 Hopi? All these years I thought it was Dine. CLEARLY I cannot speak EITHER language. I just like the rhythm and poetry of it. Of course I was listening between Gallup and Shiprock. Can the Hopi radio from TC reach? All I know is that I like it! Wish I understood more of it. I’ve since moved from AZ to AL, so I’m just hoping I get to give it a listen again some day!

[@carlmoseman671]

Quit trying to be everyone's boss& just show the scenery!

[@fredconrath4606]

Mining and drilling can be done in a responsible manner. BLM has thousands of wells and some mines and almost all are well managed. There are mines and oil wells around Moab, and it is a huge tourist attraction. The tourism is a worse impact than the mining and drilling. Also extreme environmentalists want to abandoned I 70 through the Swell and make it a wilderness. You may be helping to make that to happen.

[@exploresouthwest]

It can be but frequently isn't. That's why it's good to have land managers actually manage and regulate drillers that are neglectful. And since most are just trying to maximize profits that's about all of them. Also the oil wells around Moab are a new feature that lots of people hate. One guy literally went to jail protesting it. All he did was win the bid on the leases; but it's illegal to buy an oil lease and not drill. Proving that "Free Market" proponents are hypocrites when it comes to resource extraction. If we let the free market define whether to drill or preserve the land for recreation Oil Drilling wouldn't stand a chance. Everybody would buy and save the land because nobody wants oil rigs around their summer vacation sites.

[@jonmanjeot]

Great road trip, I have been enjoying the content of your channel. It's very informative and inspirational. Thanks for sharing.

[@johnhallford239]

Came through this area last summer after a month traveling the southwest. The views were beautiful, but I had no idea the petroglyphs were there. Just means time for another trip. Thank you for sharing this. BTW, I enjoy the text commentary in screen you provide. From one princess to another, I'm still chuckling about running the a.c. while going uphill with it being 95° outside.

[@michaelearl6991]

By the way that great is not 6% it's 8% both sides are 8 miles of 8%

[@michaelearl6991]

I meant grade not great

[@johncrowley3833]

Like you videos, very motivating keep the videos up, motivates all to get out and explore.

[@robertjanderson88]

Thanks - great video.

[@robertwinkel9209]

Great video! Thanks!

[@AllenManor]

Great video as always. Thank you.

[@JenKumar]

I’m a little lost with the second location. Does that have an exit number on i70? Is the same exit for the Little Grand Canyon? Also we went to Black Dragon. Is that dragon behind that fence you drove up to, or farther into the canyon? We walked about a mile past the fence.

[@JenKumar]

Thanks so much for this video. I love everything about it. I still feel as though the canyon wants us to return 😀.

[@JenKumar]

Ok I think I found the dragon in my photos. It may have faded since then.

[@exploresouthwest]

Yeah the I-70 exit for the second location is the same one that goes north to the Little Grand Canyon, but you have to zig-zag a bit south to get to the underpass.

[@climbjt]

Like all your videos, gonna spend a month in canyonlands

[@ClaudiaandBastian]

We are actually planning our road trip for 2019 and your video really made another point on our list :D Thanks dude!!!

[@ka509]

Love your content! I'm so glad that area has been so hard to get to in the past. Helped preserve its beauty. But we need to talk about females dressing attractive. :) there is an epidemic of females with low or no feminity and arousal leading to very unstable relationships and families. 2) When u discuss the wall art I keep thinking your projecting onto a Rorschach card. Lol

[@mikerobbins5049]

You explore some really neat places. I wish I had more time and resources to get out in that area and explore it. Thanks for sharing.....

[@StereoSpace]

Another awesome video. Thank you.

[@nancy20507]

Love your videos! Would you ever provide GPS tracks for your trips? It would be really helpful😊 I will be watching all your videos. 👍

[@johnschade90]

No it isn't it's Fremont