San Rafael Swell

San Rafael Swell
The San Rafael Swell from 16,000 feet
Highest point
Coordinates	38°48′47″N 110°51′18″W / 38.813°N 110.855°W / 38.813; -110.855
Dimensions
Length	75 mi (121 km)
Width	40 mi (64 km)
Geography
San Rafael Swell Location within Utah
Location	Colorado Plateau, Utah, US

The San Rafael Swell is a large geologic feature located in south-central Utah, United States about 16 miles (26 km) west of Green River. The San Rafael Swell, measuring approximately 75 by 40 miles (121 by 64 km), consists of a giant dome-shaped anticline of sandstone, shale, and limestone that was pushed up during the Paleocene Laramide Orogeny 60–40 million years ago. Since that time, infrequent but powerful flash floods have eroded the sedimentary rocks into numerous valleys, canyons, gorges, mesas, buttes, and badlands.

The swell is part of the Colorado Plateau physiographic region.