Head of Sinbad

October 10, 2024

For my semi-annual San Rafael Swell geocaching event, I camped for five days near the Wickiup in the central Swell. My wife and I arrived on Tuesday evening and I worked remotely the next day. Some friends had arrived on Wednesday but none that wanted to go hiking with me, so I went for a solo hike on Thursday at the Head of Sinbad. I’d poked around the area in 2013 and again in 2020, both times finding some inscriptions among the cliffs, so this time I explored a different part of the area hoping to find some more.

The Wickiup at sunset
The Wickiup at sunset

One of Earth’s moons
One of Earth's moons

Mexican Mountain
Mexican Mountain

Camp on Wednesday evening
Camp on Wednesday evening


During the drive from camp on Thursday morning I saw a nice reflection in the Big Pond, and encountered some cattle in the tunnel under I-70 leading toward Locomotive Point. I had been worried about my truck getting stuck in the sand because the transfer case shift motor doesn’t work but I kept my foot on the skinny pedal and made it to my intended parking spot easily.

Block Mountain reflected in the Big Pond
Block Mountain reflected in the Big Pond

Cattle in the tunnel underneath I-70
Cattle in the tunnel underneath I-70

View from my parking spot
View from my parking spot


I hiked in and out of several small dead-end canyons, and the second one had the unexpected surprise of a very nice view into the northern Swell. In another little canyon I saw a painted cross on a cliff and at first didn’t know whether it was prehistoric or more recent. Then I spotted an inscription by Warren Allred from 1898 that said, “Indian Paint,” so I assume it was prehistoric.

Checking out the cliffs
Checking out the cliffs

Great view
Great view

Pinnacle #1
Pinnacle #1

Wispy clouds
Wispy clouds

Oh, no, Spongebob!
Oh, no, Spongebob!

Pictograph
Pictograph

Red pencil marks
Red pencil marks

Indian Paint
Indian Paint

Warren
Warren

Allred
Allred

1898
1898

Pictograph below a shallow overhang
Pictograph below a shallow overhang


Farther down along that same cliff line I found a perfect reddish mano. A couple of small canyons over I encountered a shallow alcove that at first I didn’t think I could climb into. But after mulling it over a bit I decided I could at least try, and I ended up making it up without too much difficulty. There wasn’t much to see inside except a “W. A.” inscription–Warren Allred had also been there already.

Small arch
Small arch

Cliffs
Cliffs

Mano
Mano

Mano
Mano

Another small canyon
Another small canyon

Head of a canyon
Head of a canyon

Alcove
Alcove

View into the alcove
View into the alcove

Pit in the alcove
Pit in the alcove

WA inscription (Warren Allred)
WA inscription (Warren Allred)

View out of the alcove
View out of the alcove


I ate lunch below the alcove and then finished examining one last cliff band before the cliffs tapered out and there wasn’t anything else to check in the immediate vicinity. From there it was an easy road walk back to the truck. It had been a solid three hours of exploring and another satisfying trip to the Head of Sinbad.

Head of Sinbad
Head of Sinbad


Photo Gallery: Head of Sinbad

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