Round Trip Distance: 0.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 7167 - 7189 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead: Swasey Cabin
Fee: none
Attractions: Scenic setting
The Icebox Foot trail is located near Swasey's Cabin at the head of Eagle Canyon in the San Rafael Swell west of Green River, Utah. The Icebox is a small cave or grotto where melting snow on the cliffs above would surely have formed columns of ice as the runoff found its way into its frigid confines. Judging from its affectionate name we can only assume that it was indeed used, at least part of the year, as an icebox. We have seen other caves hold ice well into the summer at altitudes lower than these.
To get to the trailhead follow the directions to the Lone Warrior Panel. From that point there are signs directing the way to the Swasey Cabin which is about 1 mile away. Maps of the area show several other routes that can also be taken although we haven't explored those yet and can't say whether they are in fact better or worse.
From the Swasey Cabin trailhead you can either follow an obscure foot trail that is behind the cabin to where the Icebox Foot trail begins or you can follow the Eagle Canyon road for a hundred yards or so to get there.
As near as we can tell from the picture at the trailhead kiosk this little alcove is what they are referring to as Joe's Office. It has a black and white photo that shows 3 horses hitched out in front of it.
The trail heading back to the Icebox is primitive in nature yet easy to follow for the most part.
An old swinging gate along with a few piles of logs show signs of past activity.
There is a watering trough that is fed by a shallow well or spring that has a tub that catches the overflow. As the tub filled up it may have been swapped for an empty one and carried to a nearby pen to water other livestock.
Behind the watering trough there are several scenic slots in the cliff. To the right of that there are a series of stones that serve as steps leading the way to the icebox.
The Icebox appears at the end of the trail where a towering douglas fir stands as a sentinel near the opening.
The grotto is almost as roomy as Swasey's Cabin and probably would have made a nice shelter during the warmer summer months if it wasn't for the crack in the rocks that penetrates its cathedral ceiling allowing runoff from the cliffs above it to enter.
Looking out at the area around the Icebox there is a display of incredible scenery.
On a large boulder near the end of the fence in front of Joe's Office are some sharpening grooves that would have been made by Indians as they worked to put an edge on points and tools.
