Pair of Ears to an Upside Down Sombrero.

One of the most popular routes to travel in San Juan County is Route 261.  It can easily be accessed from State Highway 95, and you'll be on it for various reasons.  There are all the ruin sites at Butler Wash and Mule Canyon, Comb Ridge, Natural Bridges National Monument.  The one that everyone wants to see nowadays is Bears Ears which has been getting a lot of hoopla for the past few years.

Have to admit, at first I was for the proposed National Monument; I wanted to see more businesses develop, more housing, employment opportunities for all.  However, I sort of went against it due to those, who didn't even live in San Juan County, trying to establish rules and regulations for the local residents.  All the verbal fighting, busing in of protestors for and against, and they didn't even know what it was they were protesting about.

What really put a sour taste in my mouth is, being an informational guide, being challenged on my opinion of the National Monument.  At that point I developed the "I don't care" stance.  Asked whether I was for or against, my response was "I don't care", and stopped the conversation right then and there!  Having polite discussion is one thing; attacking someone immediately on their opinion, before it's even stated, and the attacker doesn't even know why they're doing it...yeah, not polite at all.

So, if you're needing to see the Bears Ears themselves, here is how to find them.  Once on SH 95, keep on driving west until you see the sign that says, "Natural Bridges/Bears Ears", make a right onto the roadway.  It splits, left will take you to Natural Bridges; keep on going straight and up the side of the mesa you will go.  Yes, left hand is paved.  No, up the mesa way is unpaved; and if it's wet, especially after heavy rain and/or snow, chances are you will get stuck.  This way will take you up to the Ears themselves, drive through them, and into the Manti-Lasal National Forest you will go.  Now, do they look like ears when you're this close to them, nope, nada, nyet, nein; just two buttes with no similarity in shape.

Now back to where I first started this write up, Route 261.  Once you see the sign for it, make a left hand turn, and this roadway is paved until you reach the junction for Muley Point or the Moki Dugway.  But wait, don't keep driving all the way yet!  Once you're on 261, go about 3 miles, pull over, stop the vehicle and get out; be careful of any other vehicles on the road.  Now look back from where you came from, yes, I need to add this, look towards SH 95.  Now you will see and understand why the Bears Ears are called the Bears Ears; imagination is a plus.

The Bears Ears, looking northward from Route 261.

 No imagination?  Outlined in photo, do you see it now?

The Bears Ears, outlined ears, eyes and nose of the bear.

In the book, Utah's Canyon Country Place Names, Vol. 1, by Steve Allen, page 43 has references to the origins of the Bears Ears name.  Shasha'a is Navajo and dates back to around 1620; Kwiya-gat Nügavat is Ute (no date listed), and in the 1700s, the Spanish explorers called them Las Orejas del Oso.  While all mean, in some form, Bears Ears, there was no story listed behind the name; let's presume then it's due to the ears and face seen from Route 261.

Back in the vehicle, start driving again; you'll be going through the Grand Gluch/Cedar Mesa area which allows camping and hiking.  Stop at the BLM office in Monticello to get information and permits, or at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station located on Route 261 itself.

Eventually you'll see, on the right, a sign for Muley Point; 3.4 mile gravel, yes gravel, road (7.4 miles round trip) which ends at slickrock ledges overlooking the walls of the Goosenecks, a trail into Johns Canyon, and a view of Monument Valley in the distance.

Once you're back to 261, head on down the Moki Dugway and have a most awesome ride down the side of the Cedar Mesa.

My hubby, Roy, doing some videography work of the Moki Dugway.

Just taking a break, watching hubby do his video thing.  Many times I have been asked to be an actual tour guide, but wherever I was working at the time wouldn't let me...liability insurance thing.  I may not be with you in person, but I know my travel guide will get you to where you want to go.

 (Disclaimer needed:  Yes, I own this travel guide.  No agency, business or any other person owns it.)

Enough boring stuff.  We always enjoy riding down the Moki, as both of us can see the views of the Valley of the Gods and Monument Valley.  Riding upward is kind of lame, well for us, as the passenger is usually staring at the red rock walls, while the driver is too busy looking upwards at the road.  Hey, but at least we tried both ways to see which we enjoyed most; so please do that as well.

Once down, you can take the 17 mile, one way, dirt/gravel (no, it's not paved) road through the Valley of the Gods, or continue onto pavement to Goosenecks State Park. 

Valley of the Gods

Once off 261, you'll be on Hwy. 163; left will take you up to Bluff, right will take you past Mexican Hat Rock, into the tiny town of Mexican Hat, across the San Juan River and towards Monument Valley.

By the way, I'm often asked the best time of day to be in a certain place.  Answer is, anytime!  Sunrise, morning, midday, sunset, even during the night when the stars are shining brightly (hopefully you're camping or outside somewhere to enjoy them).  Alright, darkness of night might not be the best time for sightseeing, but what I'm trying to get clear is, "Don't limit yourself!"

Here is Mexican Hat Rock at sunset and it's so intense!

The Great Serpent

Toad Stools along a ridge.

Continuing on towards Monument Valley, you'll pass by Alhambra Rock.  

Alhambra Rock

Oh, and now let's get calm here; yes, Monument Valley is an exciting, scenic place.  Yes, it was featured in the movie Forrest Gump, but you're on a major thoroughfare going through, it's a highway!  Pull over in designated parking areas, there is a ton of them all along the highway.  Don't stand, or lay down, in the center of the highway....this makes you a speed bump!  The speed limit is between 55 to 65 miles/hour; you are a traffic hazard if you suddenly stop and jump out of your vehicle to take photos.  

*sigh*  I can only give a warning, but can't make anyone heed it, if they wish not to.  Please don't leave your brains at the state border line, be smart and be careful on your journey.

Mary Cokenour

Moki Dugway Travel Guide

"Moki" is a local term for the ancient Puebloan people who inhabited the Colorado Plateau hundreds of years ago. "Dugway" is a term used to describe a roadway carved from a hillside.  The Moki Dugway is a 3-mile road of switchbacks and pull-off areas, carved from the cliff face and talus slope on the edge of Cedar Mesa. This route was originally constructed for trucks hauling uranium from the Happy Jack Mine on Utah Highway 95, to connect with US Highway 163 and continue on to the Millsite in Monument Valley.  Descending the Dugway at an 11% grade, Valley of the Gods is revealed below and Monument Valley seen in the distance.

•  Location #1: The entrance is 69.1 miles southwest of Monticello. Travel 24.6 miles south on Hwy 191, through Blanding, to State Hwy 95, make a right onto 95; travel 28.4 miles to the start of UT Hwy 261-S. Make a left onto 261, travel 16.1 miles to the downward start of the Moki Dugway.

•  Location #2: The entrance is 83.8 miles south of Monticello.  Travel 50.7 miles south on Hwy 191, through Blanding and Bluff; continue south on US Hwy 163 for 16.6 miles.  Make a right turn onto UT Hwy 261, travel 16.6 miles to the upward start of the Moki Dugway.

• Travel Time: 1 hour for the entire length of Utah Highway 261.

• Difficulty: Easy, this is a maintained dirt/gravel roadway accessible by passenger car/van/4-wheel drive/mountain bikes/motorcycles/dirt bikes.

• Hiking: Caution recommended due to vehicular travelers.

• RVs/Large Trucks and Semis/Towing of Trailers NOT allowed due to overhangs, sharp turns, switchbacks and blind corners

•  Admission: Free

•  Facilities – None; nearest town is Mexican Hat (10.6 miles south) or Bluff (27.6 miles north).

• Camping – Not Allowed

•  Pets – Must remain in vehicles

Personally, we enjoy going down the Moki Dugway as both driver and passengers can get access to the views.  Coming up, passengers tend to get a view of the rock walls, while the driver is constantly looking upward at the roadway.  

Mary Cokenour 

Muley Point Travel Guide.

Muley Point is at the southern edge of Cedar Mesa; the name Muley means "hornless" in reference to cattle or deer.  Monument Valley is visible in the distance (south) while the San Juan River cuts into the canyon below.  Johns Canyon Road is accessible from Muley Point; the trail can be seen curving around a mesa to the right of the San Juan River.  This mesa is part of The Cutler; a rock unit that is spread across the U.S. states of Arizona, northwest New Mexico, southeast Utah and southwest Colorado. In Arizona and Utah, it is called the Cutler Group; however, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) name is Cutler Formation; Cedar Mesa (Utah) and Canyon de Chelly (Arizona) are part of this unit as well.  Muley Point is considered part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and overseen by the National Park Service.

·         Location is 79.8 miles from Monticello; travel 24.6 miles south along Hwy 191, through Blanding, to the junction of State Hwy 95.  Make a right onto 95, travel 28.4 miles to UT Hwy 261 south; make a left onto 261.  Travel 23.1 miles, a sign on the right will indicate the road to Muley Point; 3.7 miles ends at slickrock ledge area.

·         Admission: Free

·         Difficulty: Hiking – Easy, ledges are slickrock, so will be slippery w/rain & snowfall.

·         Facilities: None; pick up all necessities and gasoline before leaving Blanding.

·         Camping: Allowed; all trash and waste must be packed out.

·         Fires: Allowed, but do NOT create a fire ring, instead use a self-contained fire pan. Dead and downed wood is scarce, so bring your own wood. Cutting living trees, and other plants, for firewood is not permitted.

·         Pets: Allowed; KEEP leashes on, no longer than six feet. All pet waste must be carried out, and disposed of properly.

·         Do not build rock cairns. They can mislead other visitors and cause resource damage to build. Rely on map and compass to know your route. There are NO maintained trails.

·         Do not feed wildlife. Food and trash should be stored in a manner impervious to entry by birds and other wildlife. Pack out all trash.

·         Preserve the Soundscape: Sound carries farther than you think in canyon country. Respect other visitors by keeping your group quiet and not playing amplified music. If you must have music in the backcountry, wear headphones.

·         No Drones: The use of drone aircraft in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and every National Park Service site is illegal. Check website for more details about this law.

·         Website: https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/muley-point.htm

 We have sat on the slickrock ledges, eaten a picnic lunch, and simply enjoyed the scenery.  Try it, you might just be amazed at how easily the stress of the world melts away.

Mary Cokenour 

Part Two of Route 261 Utah - The Moki Dugway

During research on the Moki Dugway, I found many people writing about how this is a "terrible road to drive upon", "very dangerous", "too scary"; I had to sit and ponder over where they were talking about.  We've been on the Moki Dugway and it was one of the most awesome treks we've taken on a mountain road in a long time.  I would rather drive up and down the Moki than go on any rollercoaster ride in the United States; yearly statistics state it's safer also than an amusement ride.  With the Moki, the drive is exhilarating; the scenery below (Valley of the Gods) and in the distance (Monument Valley and Cedar Mesa) are divine; windows open to fresh, clean air, yelling "Wheeeeeeee" as we made the turns and headed further downwards; getting to the bottom and saying, "That was fun!!!  Lets do it again!!!!"

The Moki Dugway

So, let me give you a warning, disclaimer, whatever you want to call it right now about the Moki Dugway; and if you are still too afraid to drive it after I do the entire write up and post my photos...*sigh*...I'm sorry, but I have no respect for you (this excludes people with a phobia of heights of course, that's a whole other issue).

Warning, Disclaimer, Whatever...
The Moki Dugway is one of the most exciting drives I've ever been on; I'm more afraid of rollercoasters than this road.  Contrary to what is stated in some descriptions, the road is wide enough for vehicles to comfortably pass each other; we drove an SUV and were able to pass by on coming SUVs with at least 4 feet distance between the sides of each vehicle...no moving close to cliff edges or mountain walls.  Yes, there are hairpin turns, but anyone with common sense should take these slowly whether on an unpaved dirt road, such as the Moki; or on a paved highway such as Route 550 going through the Rocky Mountains.  The signs with specified speed limits are there for safety, not as suggestions.  There are many pull in points for viewing the Valley of the Gods below and taking photos.  This is NOT a scary nor a dangerous road unless the driver is being reckless from the beginning; is driving in unsafe weather conditions; is driving a vehicle specified to be unsafe for this type of roadway.

Now lets go have a stupendously grand time going down the Moki Duyway!



The Moki (or Mokee, Moqui) Dugway is located on Utah Route 261 just north of Mexican Hat and begins just past the road to Muley Point. It was constructed in 1958 by Texas Zinc, a mining company, to transport uranium ore from the "Happy Jack" mine in Fry Canyon (which is now a ghost town) to the processing mill in Mexican Hat. This is a well graded gravel and dirt, well maintained, switchback road that is carved into the face of the cliff edge of Cedar Mesa; descent is at an 11 % grade, 1200 feet (3 mile drop) from the top of Cedar Mesa (6425 feet above sea level) to the floor of the Valley of the Gods. The State of Utah highly recommends that only vehicles less than 28 feet in length and 10,000 pounds in weight attempt to negotiate this steep, sometimes narrow and winding road.

Why the different spellings?  "Mokee" is derived from the Spanish "Moqui" meaning "small people" which referred to the Native American cultures (Navajo, Zuni, Hopi) living in the area.  Now the word "Moki" , meaning "dead", is from the Hopi, one of the cultures the Spanish encountered.  This term was more associated to the ancient ruins of a long gone culture that the Spanish found and is attributed to the Anasazi (meaning "enemy ancestors" in Navajo).  Again, why the different names that are on many of the signs?  Well, that is attributed to the white settlers that moved into the area; seems they just couldn't make up their mind which spelling to use, so they use them interchangeably.



At first the Dugway looks formidable, especially when your first viewing of it is of open air and a steep cliff; take it slow and there is a pull in point not far.  Now those reckless people I mentioned in my little warning above; our first encounter was seeing a car move out of the pull in point and begin a backward ascent towards us.  A good blast of the horn indicated to the driver that this was definitely a bad idea, so they put their vehicle into drive and began forward again.




Sit back, relax and enjoy the drive; the views are wondrous!  The day we were there, cloud cover indicated there may or may not be a storm later on  (it came in the evening); the roadway was dry and easily drivable.  So while the view of the Valley of the Gods was misty; it gave it a mysterious air that seemed to fit it so well.

Mist Covered Valley of the Gods

 Now besides the views, we found a couple of formations in the hillside that resembled the heads of animals.  This is what they looked like to us, and we named them as we saw them; Turtle Head and Gorilla Head.

Turtle Head

Gorilla Head

The Gorilla Head formation was just before a pull in point where the classic Moki Dugway photo can be taken; not only do you get a view of almost the entire roadway, but of Cedar Mesa as it continues westward.

Cedar Mesa

As you move on from this point, the Turtle Head formation will be a little way along the road.  We were able to pull over to the side and vehicles coming both ways were able to pass us without any difficulty.  From this point on, the road will begin a steeper descent downward, and Valley of the Gods will be more open before you.  I took the photo of this section of the road while we were still further up, so you can see how it descends.

As you can see from the photos, the roadway is flattened and is not that difficult to maneuver as long as you go slowly around the hairpin turns.  A classic quote from the movie "Dune" is, "Fear is the mind killer"; if you allow fear to take over your adventurous spirit, then why go anywhere at all?

Carpe Diem!  Seize the Day!

Mary Cokenour

Part One of Route 261 Utah - Muley Point

When many people travel south from Moab and stop at the Southeastern Utah Welcome Center in Monticello, one major question is, "How do I get to Monument Valley?" Well that all depends on how much of a rush the person is in, and do they want some further adventuring along the way there. The quickest way is to continue traveling south on Route 191 until just outside of Bluff where Route 163 begins, going past Mexican Hat and finally into Monument Valley. The second way there is via State Route 95 which is accessed on the outskirts of Blanding; this is also the road to Natural Bridges National Monument. If you're in no rush to get to Monument Valley, then this is the way I'm going to highly recommend to you; Route 95 alone is chock full of sites and Natural Bridges is an awesome place.

On Route 95, you'll see a sign indicating access to Route 261 and let me tell you, you so want to drive this! The first 23 miles is paved, there is a ranger station along the way; it then turns to a graded road (flattened dirt and rock), but any kind of vehicle can drive upon it; just don't hot rod it if you have a 2 wheel drive vehicle (in other words, a car).  Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself, so lets go back to just outside of Blanding and the turn onto Route 95 (aka Bicentennial Highway).


Along the way, you'll pass by the roadside ruins of Butler Wash and Mule Canyon; there are more ruins further within the land, but you have to hike to get to them.  The canyons, valleys and rock formations are outstanding along this stretch of roadway.  They do not lessen up as you continue traveling, if that is your goal, to Hanksville to hook up onto Route 24 going westward.  At one point you'll travel through narrow stretches of road between huge sandstone hills; there is no parking in these areas and there will be warnings of falling rock.  Stop further on to take photos, especially of the beautiful vistas that open up before you.

Whether you went to Natural Bridges and backtracked, or decided to go directly onto Route 261, there will be signs on the roadway to help you find it.  As I stated before, the first 23 miles is paved; there will be signs indicating different canyons, creeks, and the location of the ranger station.  The landscaping you might find on the boring side; mostly sagebrush, desert and low growing trees; the truly exciting parts come much later on down the road.  That is why I'm doing Route 261 in parts, it is as you come to these different sections (Muley Point, Moki Dugway, Valley of the Gods, Goosenecks State Park) that your appreciation for the area will explode! 


Again, the roadway will turn to graded dirt and rock; the landscape will stay pretty much the same and eventually you'll see a warning sign for truckers about the steep grading up ahead (in other words, the Moki Dugway is coming up).  However, you'll see another sign with an arrow pointing down a gravel lined road; this is the 5 mile road to Muley Point...you want to make this turn!!!  The road will end in an area surrounded by slickrock; depending on what type of vehicle you have, you may have to park right there, or you can maneuver over the slickrock.  You will be doing a bit of walking around, there are no guardrails, so if you have pets, leash them up tightly or leave them in the vehicle; if you have children, pay attention to them and where they are at all times.   Camping is allowed in this area; it's primitive and you are expected to take all your trash and belongings with you when you leave.

 

Welcome to Muley Point!  Even as you first step onto the slickrock, you will be stunned at what you begin to see before you. Muley Point is at the southern edge of Cedar Mesa and the name Muley means "hornless" in reference to cattle or deer.  Monument Valley is visible in the distance (south) while the San Juan River cuts into the canyon below.   If you parked your vehicle before the slickrock, you would have noticed that the road curves to the right and a sign indicating Johns Canyon.   Johns Canyon Road is accessible from Muley Point and you can see it curving around that large mesa to the right of the San Juan River.




























Monument Valley is seen in the south.

 

 



The Cutler is a rock unit that is spread across the U.S. states of Arizona, northwest New Mexico, southeast Utah and southwest Colorado. In Arizona and Utah it is called the Cutler Group; however, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) name is Cutler Formation; Cedar Mesa (Utah) and Canyon de Chelly (Arizona) are part of this unit.

The San Juan River cuts through the valley below; Johns Canyon Road winds around the mesa on the right.

Don't be in such a rush to go riding down the Moki Dugway just yet; make sure to take that 5 mile gravel road to Muley Point.  Otherwise, you'll be cheating yourself out an experience for the senses.

Mary Cokenour

Butler Wash's Roadside Ruin; Another Taste of Cedar Mesa.

In yesterday's post, I began my stories about State Route 95 with Mule Canyon Ruins along the roadside. Now I did warn my readers that I would be skipping around from state to state, region to region; not only to keep it interesting, but because of which memory wants to dominate my mind at the time. Anyway, I'm backtracking a little (about six miles east) towards Route 191 to visit Butler Wash Roadside Ruins; yep, you guessed it, there are more ruins further back in this area. Map time!

To get to the Roadside Ruins, after parking in the lot, begin walking along the marked trail that begins at the wooden fence; the fence doesn't last for very long, so you'll just have to keep your eyes open for the rocks marking the trail.  Most of the time you will be walking along slickrock which is easy to walk on when it is dry; when wet, you'll understand perfectly why it is called slickrock.  Here and there will be little trails that will catch your attention and you might want to explore; just keep the main trail in sight as you can get very easily lost in this area.  Stay on the slickrock, do not walk on any of the soil areas as they may be covered with a cryptobiotic crust; you know what, if it's black or dark brown, crusty looking stuff, DON'T walk on it.  Better to be aware, than destructive.







The trail to the Roadside Ruins is only a half mile walk (one mile round trip); depending on how long you take at the ruins, the whole trip might be about an hour in time.  You will be climbing upwards at certain points, and the landscape is beautiful.  Along the way, take time to notice the various plant and animal life in the area; awesome specimens of cacti, and the Collared Lizards are so colorful.

Last leg of the walk, before you get to the ruin overlook will be upward on slickrock. I'm posting two photos of it and one is of me walking up the trail. Notice I have a white hat on, and a small backpack hanging off my shoulder; besides identification, snacks, first aid kit and sunscreen, there are two full bottles of water in that backpack. It gets hot, in the 90's the day we were at Butler Wash, but the very low humidity fools you into thinking that you, yourself, are not getting too warm, or dehydrating.  Don't be turned off by how steep the walk looks, if I could do it, anyone can.  The feeling, when you finally reach the top, is exhilarating!!!
















Now something you should know about slickrock is that the elements of wind and rain tend to develop potholes in the stone. When these potholes fill with water, microscopic life emerges; remember those "sea monkeys" you may have had when you were a little kid; those are actually brine shrimp and can be found in these potholes. It must have rained before we got to Butler Wash, as we found many of the potholes filled with water, but without a magnifying glass, we couldn't tell if anything was swimming around. I can't fit everything into that little backpack!







At the top of this little world is the overlook of some of Butler Wash's ancient ruins; cliff dwellings dating as far back as 500 - 1200 AD (please excuse my hubby's arm in the informational board photo).  The Anasazi used ropes and wooden ladders embedded into the stone walls to climb up to the cliff top, or from ledge dwelling to ledge dwelling.  At Cave Spring, in Canyonlands National Park - The Needles District; I climbed up and down one of those ladders and am still wondering how I didn't kill myself.  So trying to imagine how the ancient Native Americans lived this life on a daily basis is astounding to me. 

 

If you're feeling more adventurous, once you get back to the parking area, take a potty break, perhaps have a picnic lunch and then head out to the Upper Trailhead.  Here's the information you need to travel it; and yes, this is still on my "to-do" list.

To get to the Upper Butler Wash Ruins, cross the fence on the north side of the bridge from the trailhead; you'll see the trail register here. Walk this trail about 5-10 minutes to where the canyon and trail forks; go left here, following the canyon bottom as it deepens and turns to slickrock. About 30-45 minutes from the trailhead, you will see ruins on the left; about 5 minutes ahead will be another set of ruins; there will be a ladder there you can use to climb up to them. You'll also notice a side trail that will climb steeply upward for about 5 - 10 minutes before leveling out; you will be overlooking more ruins, and on one wall will be a painting of a target, hence the name "Target Ruins" for this area. You might also see two shallow holes in the slickrock; this is where a ladder once was for traveling up and down to the dwelling by the Anasazi. This will take 2 to 4 hours round trip depending on how much you want to see, how much time you want to spend there, and how easily, or not, the trail is to walk.

Here's your other sample of the Cedar Mesa area, and I do hope you're developing a taste to see more and more.  Don't forget to always make sure your gas tank and water bottles are full; but most of all, have fun!

Mary Cokenour