Baptist Draw to Upper Chute Canyon is a great loop hike in the San Rafael Swell that does not require a high-clearance vehicle to access. Make sure you bring really good directions when you visit, and preferably a GPS unit. I had a really difficult time finding Baptist Draw both times I visited, and ended up adding a couple of miles to my hike. Because it is located in the San Rafael Swell, the road, trailhead and trail are all unmarked. Three rappels are required to complete the hike, with the longest being about eighty feet.
The most difficult part of the hike is locating Baptist Draw, which I had to use a GPS to find both times I visited. Once you locate Baptist Draw you will know it, as it is very tight slot canyon that requires you to take your pack off to squeeze through in some sections. There is one short rappel in Baptist Draw that could probably be down-climbed if necessary, as Jesse up-climbed it when our rope got stuck. There was no anchor for this rappel when we visited in May of 2010, so we made one out of some webbing and a carabiner at a pinch. When I visited in 2010, this was actually my first-ever rappel, so it was good to practice on a fairly small drop before making the much longer rappel just down the canyon. Baptist Draw will eventually end at an eighty foot drop-off into Chute Canyon. Both time I visited, this rappel was well anchored by some bolts in the canyon wall.
Just after dropping into Chute Canyon you will reach the third rappel. Be really careful on this one. While it is a very short rappel, it is very awkward, as you are rappelling down an overhang rather than down a flat wall. Because of this you have the tendency to swing into the rock on your way down. I remember scraping my hand a bit after getting it caught between the rope and the rock, and when I visited in 2013, there was a huge blood stain here left by a previous canyoneer. I actually saw spatters of blood on the canyon floor for several miles afterwards. After the third rappel, there are no more major obstacles. Chute Canyon stays really narrow for a couple miles providing some amazing scenery. After about two hours of walking in Chute Canyon, you will exit out a side canyon on your right, which will take you back to your car.
While Chute Canyon was completely dry both times I visited, it has the potential to hold deep water. I have seen video of people slogging through waist deep water on this hike, so be really careful if you are going to attempt this in the winter.
