We celebrate Utah’s pioneer history every July, but the history of people living here goes back much further than 1847. Long before the first white explorers set foot in the land that is now Utah, the Ancestral Puebloans lived and thrived here. Check out this cave that will take you back in time.
Comb Ridge is an 80-mile-long monocline made of Navajo sandstone and other rock that was formed eons ago, during the Triassic and Jurassic time periods.
Doc Searls/flickr The ridge was created 65 million years ago, when tectonic plates slipped, pushing up the ridge like a wrinkle in fabric. From high above, it looks like the sun-bleached spine of an animal, stretching across the desert. This region was home to Ancestral Puebloan people from approximately 700-1300 CE.
Comb Ridge is located in the far southeastern corner of Utah, near the town of Bluff. It’s part of the Bears Ears National Monument.
Google In addition to the well-known House On Fire dwelling, you’ll also find a magnificent cave with the remains of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings. It’s called Monarch Cave, and it’s absolutely stunning.
To get to Monarch Cave, you’ll travel along Butler Wash Road, which is unpaved and can be treacherous, depending on the weather and time of year.
Rob Lee/flickr While you can usually traverse this road very carefully in a 2WD vehicle, 4WD is recommended. Before you set off down this road, make sure that you have a spare tire and plenty of water. This is a remote part of the state, and if you get stuck it might take awhile before anyone can reach you. Cell service out here is spotty at best, non-existent at worst.
A short, one-mile hike from the parking area takes you to this stunning cave and ruins.
IIP Photo Archive/flickr Pretty, shady cottonwoods grow near the base of the ridge here.
The overhang of the cliff provided a shallow, natural cave for the people who once decided to call this place home.
Robert Shea/flickr The Ancestral Puebloans lived and thrived here for hundreds of years, then migrated, perhaps due to widespread drought.
It’s a steep and slippery scramble to reach the ruins, and you might consider simply viewing them through binoculars instead.
Canyon Country Discovery Center/flickr Not only will that be safer for you; it will also help preserve this historic site. If you do choose to get closer, please be diligent to avoid damaging the ruins and surrounding area.
If you decide to visit Monarch Cave, please be respectful. Don’t remove anything from the area, and take precautions not to damage these fragile ruins so that those who come along after you can also see and enjoy them.
Doc Searls/flickr
The ridge was created 65 million years ago, when tectonic plates slipped, pushing up the ridge like a wrinkle in fabric. From high above, it looks like the sun-bleached spine of an animal, stretching across the desert. This region was home to Ancestral Puebloan people from approximately 700-1300 CE.
In addition to the well-known House On Fire dwelling, you’ll also find a magnificent cave with the remains of Ancestral Puebloan dwellings. It’s called Monarch Cave, and it’s absolutely stunning.
Rob Lee/flickr
While you can usually traverse this road very carefully in a 2WD vehicle, 4WD is recommended. Before you set off down this road, make sure that you have a spare tire and plenty of water. This is a remote part of the state, and if you get stuck it might take awhile before anyone can reach you. Cell service out here is spotty at best, non-existent at worst.
IIP Photo Archive/flickr
Pretty, shady cottonwoods grow near the base of the ridge here.
Robert Shea/flickr
The Ancestral Puebloans lived and thrived here for hundreds of years, then migrated, perhaps due to widespread drought.
Canyon Country Discovery Center/flickr
Not only will that be safer for you; it will also help preserve this historic site. If you do choose to get closer, please be diligent to avoid damaging the ruins and surrounding area.
Ready to explore more of Utah’s most exquisite spots? Check out these 13 places that perfectly capture the magic of Utah’s nature.
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