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Penitentiary Canyon route map
Point to Point
San Rafael Swell Recreation Area/Utah

Penitentiary Canyon

4.2 mi

Distance

1h 24m

Est. Time

Point to Point

Route Type

About This Trail

Penitentiary Canyon is a point-to-point trail in San Rafael Swell Recreation Area, in Emery County, Utah. It is 4.2 miles long. The nearest town is Emery, Utah, about 23 miles away in a straight line.

From the trail data on this page. For conditions and closures, see official sources.

Trail Conditions

Trail Conditions

Unknown

We have no current condition data for this trail. Check with the operator before you go, and submit a report below if you've been recently.

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Elevation Profile

Min:1,523 ft
Max:1,794 ft
Gain:0 ft
Loss:271 ft
Elevation profileA line rising and falling between 1,523 ft and 1,794 ft across 4.2 mi along the route, drawn from start to end.1,523 ft1,613 ft1,703 ft1,794 ft0.0 mi1.0 mi2.1 mi3.1 mi4.2 mi

Elevation at the labelled points along this route
PointDistance from startElevation
Start0.0 mi1,794 ft
End4.2 mi1,523 ft

Trail Details

Route Type
Point to Point

Official sources & verification

Managed by National Recreation Area

Verify before you go

Managing agency

Where it is

Nearest town:
Emery, UT · about 23 mi away
County:
Emery County, UT
Jurisdiction:
San Rafael Swell Recreation Area

Nearest town and county from U.S. Census Bureau place records and county boundaries.

Verify by phone or mail

We display cached information from agency feeds. Hours, fees, permits, closures, fire restrictions, and conditions change without notice. Outdoors is not the permitting authority. Confirm current conditions for this trail using the links above before you go — you are responsible for compliance. Last verified by us: Aug 17, 2026. Our copy is more than a month old — please reconfirm with the agency before relying on it.Spot an error in our data?

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Imported route

Nearby Trails

More trails near Penitentiary Canyon
The Pasture

The Pasture

3.0 mi
TrailDifficulty: Moderate

The Chute

11.8 mi
TrailDifficulty: Moderate
The Chute of Muddy Creek

The Chute of Muddy Creek

15.0 mi
TrailDifficulty: Expert
Muddy River

Muddy River

1.6 mi
TrailDifficulty: Easy
Music Canyon

Music Canyon

5.5 mi
TrailDifficulty: Difficult
The Pasture

The Pasture

0.4 mi
TrailDifficulty: Easy

In this park

Other trails in San Rafael Swell Recreation Area

View San Rafael Swell Recreation Area
Muddy Creek Gorge

Muddy Creek Gorge

Utah

0.5 mi
Trail
Muddy Creek Through Reef

Muddy Creek Through Reef

Utah

0.6 mi16 ftgain
TrailDifficulty: Easy
Old Woman Wash

Old Woman Wash

Utah

5.5 mi1,194 ftgain
TrailDifficulty: Difficult
Ekker Mine Track

Ekker Mine Track

Utah

3.0 mi1,017 ftgain
TrailDifficulty: Difficult
Cottonwood Wash

Cottonwood Wash

Utah

5.5 mi200 ftgain
TrailDifficulty: Easy
The Pasture

The Pasture

Utah

0.6 mi39 ftgain
TrailDifficulty: Easy

Stay nearby

Campgrounds near this trail

More campgrounds

Similar length

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All Utah trails
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Emerald Pools Trail

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Wire Pass Trail to Buckskin Gulch

Wire Pass Trail to Buckskin Gulch

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