CRACK-IN-THE-GROUND — KELSEY KAGAN

I was lamenting to a friend about how much I miss the canyons of Utah. “What about Crack-in-the-Ground,” they said, “it might give you that same kinda vibe.” I quickly took to the google machine and searched for this place I had never heard of, and three days later I was exploring it.

First thing to note, Crack-in-the-Ground is in the middle of nowhere. I tied it into a five day trip, so please consult my other posts on additional hikes nearby and make a day of it.

Another very important piece of information; the road in had the most aggressive washboarding I have ever driven on. FWD probably isn’t required to get to the trailhead, but by god if you have a single bolt loose anywhere in your vehicle it’ll be rattled off.

Once you get there, you’ll be greeted with a single vault toilet and an informational plaque that will give you some information on one of the creatures you may come across on your visit: bats.

a mellow half mile walk on a dusty trail through sage and junipers will lead you to the ‘crack’, which is a two mile long volcanic fissure. If you’re here in the summer you will enjoy the cooler temperatures offered down below.

I spent the night in a primitive campsite a few miles away and ended up coming back to this hike three times to explore and play on the walls. It’s quite a unique experience…most fissures like it would be covered due to erosion and sediment, but due to the arid climate the landform looks much like it would have when it formed a few thousand years ago.

I wouldn’t necessarily compare it to the canyons in Utah, but it is a very special place that we enjoyed immensely.