Mapping Montezuma Canyon Road - More Accurate, More Details, More Secrets Revealed!

While doing more research about Montezuma Canyon and sites along the road itself, I came across three photos of "Honeycomb Granary".  Only one person listed a mile marking of its location which I found out was very, very wrong; never would have found it with his misinformation (it is NOT 3.4 miles north of Perkins Road - CR 206).  So, on Sunday, April 27th, Roy and I decided to go on another ride along Montezuma Canyon Road; this time to find what we'd found already, find new sites and to map them out accurately.  We began at the Monticello Welcome Center and traveled exactly five miles on Route 191 South to CR146; just past mile marker 67 and there is no sign indicating Montezuma Canyon Road or CR 146.  We made the left onto the road, stopped at the cattle guard and reset our odometer to zero, and the adventure begins!

The best way to write this up is to post the new map and the sites are marked with a red capital letter inside a red diamond.  Underneath the map will be the Legend explaining what each letter is indicating: mile marking, name of site, a brief description.  Now to be able to get the entire legend onto the backside of the map when I printed, I needed to use a print size of eleven and couldn't write out every little detail.  Let me give you a good hint here; you will not see many of the items if you simply continue to drive, not stop and not leave your vehicle.  Many are higher up the line of vision than vehicle level; if you don't stop, get out and look, then don't be complaining that the map is wrong and you can't find things.  Oh, the mile markings are accurate if you follow the directions from the above paragraph; if you begin off Perkins Road - CR 206 however, you'll have to do a little math to figure it all out.

The Map -

The Legend -

MONTEZUMA CANYON ROAD (CR 146)

From the Monticello Welcome Center on Main Street (Route 191), it is five (5) miles south to CR 146; just past mile marker 67.  Reset your odometer to zero after you turn onto the cattle guard.  The entire road is 33.2 miles long; graded dirt and gravel with many twists and turns; average speed is thirty (30) miles per hour.  CR 146 is a San Juan County road; No Trespassing signs indicate private property east and/or west of the road itself.

Legend: each letter corresponds to its location on the map; (E) means facing east; (W) means facing west.

A - 5 miles; Abandoned Homestead and Cave Ruins (E).

B - 6 miles; Tracks Carved into Rock Face Leading Upwards to a Cave (E).

                     Tree Limb Snaking Up Wall Face (W).

C - 8 miles; Roadside Ruins and Home Built into Sandstone Hill (W).

D - 9 miles; Home Built into Sandstone Hill (W).

E - 10 miles; Vineyards (E and W).

F - 10.5 miles; Cowboy Cave (W).

G - 12.8 miles; Ladder Along Rock Face (W).

H - 14 miles; Small Cave Ruin Up on Wall (W).

I - 14.5 miles; ATV Trail Leads Up to Mesa Top; eventually to Long Canyon Road (CR 190) (W).

J - 15.4 miles; Wagon Rod Ranch aka Dalton Ranch; county road continues through property      

                         that is (E) and (W) of road; no trespassing on either side of road.

K - 17.5 miles; Indian Brave Rock Formation (W).

L - 20.6 miles; Small Cave Ruin (W).

M - 21.3 miles; Rock Art of "The Sun God" and "The Hand" (W).

N - 22.2 miles; Ruins (W).

O - 22.5 miles; Honeycomb Ruin and Granary (W).

P - 22.6 miles; Arch Formation (W).

Q - 23.2 miles; Riverbed; easy to moderate hike into back canyon (W).

R - 23.6 miles; Bradford Canyon Ruins; a dirt trail loops to ruins and back to CR 146; ruins are behind a chain link fence (W).

S - 23.8 miles; Deadman Canyon Road (CR 2381); leads to Bradford Canyon Road (CR 202) which is an ATV trail, or to Alkali Point Road (CR 204) (W).

T - 25.2 miles; Dirt Trail to Cliff Ruins; dead ends at corral or loops back to CR 146 (W).

U - 25.6 miles; Slick Rock Dried Riverbed (E and W).

V - 26 miles; Three Kiva Pueblo; self guided; maintained by the BLM (W).

W - 27.4 miles; Formation Up on Hill Similar in Structure to the Seven Sailors at Valley of the Gods (E).

X - 28.2 miles; Cliff Dwelling; located on private property; no trespassing (E).

Y - 29.6 miles; Ruins (W)

Dirt Trail immediately past leads to ground level Ruins and Rock Art possibly depicting the pioneers coming to San Juan County (W).

Z - 32.4 to 32.6 miles; Rock Art Along Bottom of Walls (W).

AA - 32.9 miles; Dirt Trail Leads to Corral; Rock Art Behind Corral; more Rock Art and Carvings  South of Corral (W).

33.2 Miles - Perkins Road (CR 206); west to Blanding; east to Hovenweep National Monument or  

Colorado

This can't get any simpler to follow, but you could always hire me as a guide; I don't come cheap though.

Now to give you some eye candy of many of the new sites we've found; of course all the other photos of sites you'll have to read about in this blog.  Simply click on the UTAH tab at the top, scroll down to San Juan County and look up all posts with Montezuma Canyon Road (CR 146).

Local Road Committee; talk to them nice and they will moooove over for you.



Mile 6; tracks up the rock face (E)

Mile 6; snaking tree limb (W)

Mile 20.6; small cave ruin (W)



Mile 22.2; Ruins

Mile 22.2; side view of Ruins

Mile 22.5; Honeycomb Ruin and Granary



Mile 22.5; Honeycomb Granary

Mile 22.5; Honeycomb Ruin

The textured roofing of the ruin and granary are definitely the handiwork of Mother Nature.  There are two speculations about the causes though; the first is simply natural erosion; the second is the broken and petrified remnants of mud swallow nests.  Once you get down to mile mark 32.9, you will see a colony of mud swallow nests underneath the ledges as you look up at the Rock Art.




At mile mark 22.6, we found this unusual arch like formation, and nearby is the second photo of the overhang where the walls look like someone sliced off the rock with a knife.  Mother Nature's artistry is amazing!

 

 



Mile 23.2; dried out river bed perfect for hiking to a back canyon

We only hiked about a half mile in, but it continues on much further from what we could see ahead.  We weren't prepared for a long trek; but next time it'll be a fair amount of bottled water in backpacks, and a picnic meal to enjoy along the way.  Did you even doubt there would be a next time!?!

No wild roses along the way, but do stop and take time to appreciate the flowers growing up from the sandy soil amongst the rocks.

Desert Paintbrush

Nakedstem Bahia (sunflower family)

I would love to say that this is the end of our adventures along Montezuma Canyon Road, but that would be a bold faced lie.  Roy and I are looking forward to finding more sites along the road itself, and hiking into the canyons beyond.  Till then...

Mary Cokenour

WANTED! Visitors, Tourists, Golfers, Adventurers to Monticello, Utah.

Spring is here and the weather is prime for visiting Southeastern Utah!  Not sure where to go and stay or what to see and do; here's a hint...begin your adventure in Monticello, Utah.  This "little city" may have that small hometown look and feel, but it is the focal point of grand and great adventures.  Being the crossroads of Route 191 and Route 491 makes it the epicenter for reaching the Four Corners of Utah, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico.


First building you need to make your way to is the Monticello Frontier Museum/Welcome Center which is quickly becoming the premier information center of San Juan County; clean restrooms; free informational brochures, booklets, local phone books and maps; an assortment of books, maps, postcards, puzzles, toys, apparel for sale; a diorama of Monticello spanning 1888 to 1911; the museum allowing the viewer to see a history of San Juan County's pioneers and Native American cultures; fine examples of horse drawn farm implements adorn the outside of the building.  The newest edition is the "Big 4 Tractor" museum which houses the famous tractor, and will include photos and implements associated with tractors.   The "Community Ambassadors" who staff the Center live locally, so are a great resource when it comes to planning out your stay.  Their philosophy is, "We don't just give you vacation ideas, we send you on an Adventure!"; whether planning out a day trip, or several days, they can map out travel loops to maximize your total experience.

Need gas, snacks, cold drinks; there are three gasoline/convenience stores within the town: Shell, Maverik and Conoco.  The Conoco station encompasses a Subway and also offers hot, freshly made pizza.  The Shell station encompasses a Taco Time and Chesters Fried Chicken ; while Maverik offers its own line of hot food products.

Hold on now, what about a freshly made boxed lunch to take out on that hiking, driving or climbing adventure; the Peacetree Cafe offers smoothies, wraps, salads and sandwiches while PJ's Cafe does the more traditional hot sandwiches, burgers and fries.  Looking for a sit down place, again the Peacetree and PJ's offers breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, but if you're looking for comfort food that makes you go "Ahhhh" and makes you feel warm all over, then head on over to the R & F Restaurant, (435) 587-2400.   K & A Chuckwagon will be reopening soon (June 2014) to offer its authentic chuckwagon style dinners.  Looking for a steakhouse (serving dinner only, beginning at 5pm), Line Camp Steakhouse, (435) 587-2351 (9 miles north on Peters Hill), is your go-to place and offers seafood dishes also.   Line Camp is also the location for the Runnin' Iron Inn and offers sites for RVs and camping.


Line Camp Steakhouse and Runnin' Iron Inn

What kind of stores can offer amenities to travelers?  Blue Mountain Foods is the local market and while the selection may be limited, they do have the best bakery in the area.  If you have special dietary needs or are looking for a much larger selection in variety, then City Market in Moab, Utah or Cortez, Colorado (a Walmart also) is your best bet.  Before going, make sure to plan out your trip to Kane Creek Overlook, Flat Pass/Steel Bender, Canyonlands National Park (all in San Juan County) if heading to Moab.  Colorado way, get details on the Hovenweep National Monument and Lowry Pueblo Ruins loop; visit the Anasazi Heritage Museum; or make the pilgrimage to Mesa Verde.

San Juan Pharmacy offers all types of health and beauty aids, plus a selection of gifts and souvenirs; while you're there, say hello to the pharmacist, and Mayor of Monticello, Tim Young.  The Merchantile has household items, and sells fabrics for all you quilters that cannot resist buying up new fat squares or yards; a Family Dollar just had their grand opening on Center Street; Napa Auto is on Main Street for your automotive needs.  Looking for Native American crafts or unusual gifts, try out the Abajo Trading Post or the new Monticello Artisan Co-Op.  Are you in need of auto repair, oil change, or just want to make sure your vehicle is in good shape?  Call Steve at Draper's Towing and Repair, (435) 587-2788; if he isn't able to help you out, he won't hesitate to direct you to another auto service in the town that can.   Needing cash fast?  Wells Fargo and Zions Bank have ATMs; while you might not want to travel with a lot of cash, most businesses take Visa and Mastercard (American Express and Discover not so much).

Monticello has an assortment of hotels, motels, a bed and breakfast (Grist Mill Inn), National Forest campgrounds, RV parks and campsites.  To find the best place suited to your desires, check out reviews on TripAdvisor.com or Yelp.com; what better way than to hear what fellow travelers have to recommend?  Still not sure, once again, call or go to the best source in town, the Welcome Center!






Did you know that, besides the typical cattle ranches, Monticello has an alpaca ranch?  The Peter Springs Alpaca Ranch, Dorothy Pipkin-Padilla (Owner), Phone: (435) 419-0750, Email: dpalpaca9@yahoo.com  Alpaca items are for sale, especially the "pooh" for all you gardeners; tour group coordinators, call Dorothy and see about arranging a tour of the ranch.








Golfers, are you looking for a paradise full of green lawn and holes-in-one; the Hideout Golf Course is your siren's song.

Lastly, looking to buy or rent a home here in Monticello; contact Robert Hatch at Lex Realty, (435) 587-1044, Email: roberthatch@frontiernet.net to help find that perfect location for your needs. 

Remember, a stay in Southeastern Utah begins in Monticello, Utah...who knows, you might love it so much, you'll be buying a home through Lex Realty.

Mary Cokenour

A Quilter Sews in Monticello, Utah.

Since moving to Monticello in 2009, one of the hobbies I have neglected is quilting.  I began quilting in 1990 when I moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania; became a member of the Red Rose Quilters Guild and made many a creation until the move to Utah.  Today though, I may have just met the inspiration to take out my needles, quilting rack, fabrics and patterns. 

Once a month at the Welcome Center, a Cultural/Artisan Expo is held; today's demonstration was by Marie Wigginton who is a member of the Monticello Quilters Guild.  Marie was accompanied by her husband of 58 years (married in 1955), Luther; their son Tom and his wife, Linda, own Thatzza Pizza, while grandson Thomas and wife, Mandy, own San Juan Pest Management.  Originally Marie and Luther resided in Casper, Wyoming before moving to Monticello only five years ago; this family didn't sit around and wait for attention, but became busy in the community.



Marie considers herself a self taught quilter; she began quilting in the 1950s with her mother-in-law. After becoming adept in hand quilting, she ventured out into the world of machine quilting. Her prized possession is the Gammill Statler Stitcher which contains approximately 1500 patterns, and can have more easily uploaded to its memory files. Being a large piece of machinery, Marie could not bring it to demonstrate on, so the photo is one taken off the internet from Gammill's website.

Marie did bring one of her hoops in and set up a demonstration of her hand quilting techniques.

As opposed to embroidery, cross-stitching or garment sewing which use long, thick needles; an experienced quilter is proven by the smallest needle size she can use. A size 10 or 12 quilter's needle means that there should be 10 to 12 stitches per inch of quilting. While cotton threads and fabrics are the standard, technology nowadays is creating threads and fabrics that hold up to washing and normal wear and tear that a quilt would receive. A must is a thimble; it helps to push the needle easily through the fabric, not through your finger.


Here are a few samples of Marie's work; besides selling her own creations, she will do special orders, so just contact her at (435) 459-0767.  Besides quilts, she does make carry bags, baby items, doll accessories and pillow tops.

The Little Mermaid

Assorted Quilt Blocks

Quilt done in Windmill pattern

Now as I mentioned earlier, Marie Wigginton is a member of the Monticello Quilters Guild.  The Guild meets the 4th Tuesday of each month, at 6pm, at the Monticello High School's Home Economics Room; new members are always welcomed.  There is usually a "Sew and Tell" where members can show off their creations.   Quilt vendors from the Four Corners (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah) are encouraged to put on a "Trunk Show"; a display of fabrics, patterns, tools and accessories for the quilter.  Occasionally a "Sew What?" is held; members bring in works in progress for tips and critiques.

Marie Wigginton with fellow quilters, Jean Robinson and Carol Brewer.

I hope to make it to their next meeting in October; all I know right now is that my quilter's box is peeking at me from out of the closet, and my fingers are itching to hold a needle again.

As for today, meeting Marie Wigginton and her husband, Luther was a very enjoyable experience.

Behind every happy quilter is a supportive, yet sleepy, husband; after spending time with this couple, I can say this is a statement of truth.

Mary Cokenour

Marie Ogden and her Home of Truth.

Gates to Marie's Place; the Inner Portal
 

After moving to Monticello in 2009, Roy and I took many a ride around the area we were now calling home.   Going along Route 211, three miles from the junction of Route 191, we came across, what we thought to be, an old western homestead. 

 

There are several wood frame buildings and a tall set of wooden pillars with a sign indicating that this was "Marie's Place".   Before you reach this part, on the opposite side of the road, are buildings on the range, obviously old and abandoned; also a rock foundation of what, at first, looks like Indian ruins.  Going back into town, we began asking around for information on this location.  Basically, anyone under the age of 50 had no idea of what we were referring to or where.  Residents over 50 were a different story altogether; the consensus was that this was a "cowboy town" complete with saloon and brothel that was abandoned once the Mormon population began to increase in number.  Not condoning alcohol and prostitution, the residents of this "town" were eventually driven out.

I went to the local library to see if there was any history of that "town" in writings or photos, but was told there were none.  Getting busy with settling in the home, going to work and taking care of our little family of four legged children; I forgot about "Marie's Place".  Now this is a whole new year of new adventures, this travel blog for one, and my quest for information on "Marie's Place" has resumed.  To the Internet I went and oh what a story I found; not too many sources of information, but pretty consistent in content.  This was no "cowboy town", but a "spiritual community", also known as a "cult"; The Home of Truth.



Born May 31, 1883, originally from Newark, New Jersey, Marie Ogden became highly interested in spiritualism and the metaphysical after the death of her husband in 1929.  Personally, I wonder how much of this was influenced by Houdini's (death 1926) history, since he spent so much of his life attempting to prove there was an afterlife, and contacting his deceased mother.  Marie formed the "School of Truth" in Idaho, but had a falling out with her mentor over differing political views; giving credence to the ideal that church and state should stay separated.  Learning that there was cheap land for sale in San Juan County, Utah; she and many of her followers snapped up parcels of land in Dry Valley (15 miles north of Monticello) in 1933.  Dirt cheap was no joke, since the land was so dry and infertile; no crops could be cultivated there and it is still the same way to this day.  Cattle roam this range land, lazing on the hard ground, or nibbling away at any weed brave enough to try and grow.

The group's membership reached about 100 people, believing that Marie's ears heard God's words, or more exactly, that he wrote his instructions and doctrines to her via her typewriter.  Made perfect sense since she was the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary, or so she claimed.  She also claimed that the second coming of Christ would occur at Church Rock, and that the location of Home of Truth was to be God's Kingdom on Earth.  Marie was a shrewd woman as well; she handled all the community's financial business, purchased the San Juan Record, became its editor and wrote about her metaphysical ideals for all the county to read.  However, around 1937, her own members began to wonder about all the strange goings on, and probably Marie's sanity.  She kept a female member's dead body claiming that the woman would come to life again; she was arrested for not having a death certificate, but later released due to the body "disappearing".  Two stories on that, one is that the body was cremated after the local sheriff started to investigate; the other is that the mummified body is still buried on the property somewhere.  The members eventually left, Marie supported herself by teaching piano lessons and finally passed away in 1975 at the San Juan Nursing Home in Blanding, Utah.  Her personal items were sold at auction; many ended up being donated to the Frontier Museum which is located at the Monticello Welcome Center.










Enough about Marie Ogden and more about the makeup of all the buildings still standing on the property. By the way, the property is now privately owned and maintained; but no word if it will ever be opened up to the public as an attraction. Seems a waste to let this little piece of history of the Southwest, and San Juan County, just break up into dust and blow away.

Home of Truth was made up of three sections;  Outer Portal, Middle Portal and the Inner Portal.



The Outer Portal was made up of a dormitory for visitors and non-members of the group; also utility and storage buildings.

That rock foundation I thought were Indian ruins; that is actually the unfinished temple located in the Middle Portal.



Unfinished Temple; the Middle Portal

The Inner Portal inside the gated and fenced area was the location of member dormitories, root cellar, meeting place, outhouses and Marie's home.  During the 1970s, while Marie was in the nursing home, the property was left abandoned and used as shelter by anyone passing through.  It was burnt to the ground by some of these trespassers, but it was said that her home was more lavish with a porch, several bedrooms and an underground two car garage.

 Well there you have it, the little that is known about Marie Ogden and her "Home of Truth".  In San Juan County, there is such a huge effort made to preserve, conserve and draw attention to Native American cultures and the Mormon pioneers.  The "Home of Truth" community is also a piece of the County's history, of the settling of this area of the Southwest, and should receive just as much effort.

Mary Cokenour

Update:  July 2015

The 16' x 24' cave that can be seen inside Church Rock was contracted out by landowner, Claud Young.  It was dynamited out in the 1940s, so the rancher could store feed and salt licks for his cattle.  Claud Young was owner of this property during the time that Marie Ogden and her group resided in Dry Valley.  While some like to believe in the theory that Home of Truth members chiseled out the cave by hand to begin creating a church inside; this believe is based on hearsay, not facts.

There is another story about the Mormon pioneers creating the cave, but this happens to be another legend, and that is all; no truth to it.