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Ruins Around the Bears Ears

Friday – Sunday, April 19-21, 2019

I can’t believe that it’s almost the end of April already and this is only my first trip of the year to the canyons surrounding the Bears Ears! At the very least I typically spend Presidents Day weekend exploring this area, but this year we had planned a trip around a concert in Las Vegas over that holiday weekend instead. Then I ended up concentrating on exploring more of The Needles during a few of my other weekends this year and have neglected getting down to the Bears Ears. I finally wanted to change that this weekend, so a few weeks ago I contacted my friend Jerry to see if he was interested in joining me this weekend, and he was, so we met up Friday evening near Blanding to hike a couple of canyons together around the Bears Ears over the weekend. The weather was great and we visited a few nice sites. Enjoy these photos from our weekend!

A morning view from one of our campsites.

Morning Canyon View

There was a lot of water in one of the canyons we hiked which we had to cross many times. On the way back we got tired of trying to find crossings where we wouldn’t get wet and just hiked through the water.

Rushing Waters

Turret House

Turret

Balanced Rock Granary

Balanced Rock Granary

A very nice T-shaped doorway.

T-Shaped Door

Looking through one small doorway to another.

Windows

A passageway into the back of the alcove between the ruins.

Ruin Interior

Canyon Spire

Canyon Spire

Thanks to all the water in the canyons we came across a couple waterfalls.

Chocolate Double Falls

A very large pictograph panel.

Big Pictograph Wall

Two Ruins

Two Ruins

A very nice set of ruins located high above the floor of the canyon.

Very High Ruins

Rectangle Ruin

Rectangle Ruin

Light and shadow in a beautiful canyon.

Canyon View

Short Granary

Short Granary

Ruin & Pictographs

Ruin & Pictographs

A view down to a couple kivas below that look pretty inaccessible for me.

Kivas Below

These pockets sculpted into the mortar at the back of a ruin were really cool and not something I’ve seen before.

Mortar Pockets

There was a nice square doorway in this ruin.

Nice Doorway Ruin

Morning At Camp

Morning At Camp

There was a little snow left at the upper end of this canyon.

Upper Canyon

Interesting carvings in the sandstone.

Carvings

There was a pretty nice view from this granary.

High Doorway

Another smaller waterfall we came across in a side canyon.

Side Canyon Waterfall

This kiva is collapsing into the canyon below, but the ladder poles are still in place.

Collapsing Kiva

A scenic side canyon with a waterfall.

Waterfall Canyon

Broken Ruin

Broken Ruin

I liked the way this tree framed the nice doorway of this ruin.

Hidden Doorway

Hiking through a beautiful canyon.

Trail View

Just another chocolate waterfall.

Upper Waterfall

The Watch Tower Complex

Watch Tower Complex

Round Room

Round Room

>> Ruins Around the Bears Ears Photo Gallery

One Comment

  1. Michele
    Michele May 2, 2019

    Phenomenal pictures as always! So glad to see this art is still unharmed. Unfortunately my first thought these days is hope these locations are never shared on social media as they will be destroyed. What a horrible reality that after enjoying the beauty of these places in your images that is my very next thought, but it is true. Thanks for sharing in a controlled manner. Your secret is safe with me.

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