Weekend Wanderings: Bears Ears National Monument

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Well, if this isn't a bit bittersweet, revisiting Bears Ears just as the size of the monument--and of Grand Staircase-Escalante, another favorite stomping ground--is being slashed by an entity I shall not name. If you think these photos--or the others from my trips to these areas--show something special, maybe lift up your voice and let Congress know we aren't happy about this latest move.

I try not to get political on this blog, but sometimes silence is not acceptable. Shrinking this monument and others in Utah is unacceptable. 

Two years ago I spent a week backpacking Grand Gulch in the Bears Ears (see link above). This time I was in transit, and only had a few hours in the Monument. I made the most of them.

Stop 1: Mule Canyon/House on Fire

It was almost 4 p.m. when I headed up Mule Canyon on the 1 mile walk to House on Fire. The weather wasn't wholly cooperative.

I almost turned back when it started to rain, but such desert showers don't usually last, and it didn't.

 

The sun did not cooperate and it didn't look like it would be worth sitting around until sunset to get the "fire" effect, but the ruins are pretty anyway.



 

Stop Two. When I finished with House on Fire, I hurried back to the car and drove 10 miles to Butler Wash.

Prickly Pear in bloom.

This was a little longer walk, and parts of the trail were fairly overgrown.

 My map had a few ruins marked. This was one to enjoy from afar.

I almost missed the biggest and best ruin. Can you spot the reason trails go off this way? 

There's more here than meets the eye.

 



When I'd finished a quick explore of Butler Wash, it was more than time to find camp and fix dinner. I'd had my eye on a campsite well up the Elk Mesa road, but decided that I didn't want to drive that far before dinner--and I wanted to be in a position to make an early start in the morning. I still found a room with a view.

There were some beautiful juniper trees there.

The sunset was spectacular.

I'm pretty sure those are the Henry Mountains--the last range in the Lower 48 to be explored (by Europeans).

Not too bad for a half a day! Next up: a morning hike at Natural Bridges National Monument. 

 

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 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2026 

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