Bears Ears and Mtn biking

[kmcintyre]

We'll be heading that way in Sept. for a week of camping, mtn biking on the roads and some hiking.

I've been doing a lot of google-earth viewing, mapping, etc. but looking for some "on the ground" type info that people may like to share. Great camping spots, ruins, etc.

I can find all the "main" ruins but would like to find some relatively short ruin hikes that are maybe less known. I know they are all over the place and google-earth won't let me look under cliff ledges .

We'll have about a week and would like to only break camp once or twice and do mtn biking up a road, then maybe down a road (or spur or ??) the next day, etc. Not really far per day and we'll have our own sag. Maybe 15-20 miles a day.

Thanks for any help / suggestions.

I have searched the forum(s) and found a few ideas.

Kevin

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Kevin, if you don’t have it, buy a copy of Photographing the Southwest, Vol 1, Southern Utah by Laurent Martrés. It might help with smaller site info and hikes into the area.

 

[kmcintyre]

Kevin, if you don’t have it, buy a copy of Photographing the Southwest, Vol 1, Southern Utah by Laurent Martrés. It might help with smaller site info and hikes into the area.

Thanks. Does the edition number matter? I know that over the years, some publications have removed certain hikes.

Kevin

 

[Smokecreek1]

Better watch out for claim markers when you get there-just heard on tv (Thom Hartman on Free Speech TV) that they were supposed to open that area up today to being able to post mining claims. I thought that recent court actions had put those types of things on hold , but maybe these guys can't read to well or just plain are ignoring the law. By the way, even if they have done that it is only the first step in a long process that needs to take place before you can mine on Public Land!

Smoke

 

[rando]

Comb ridge (not in the revised monument) would be a great place for a base camp. There are at least 4-5 good hikes to canyons with ruins that you can access from Lower Butler Wash Rd:
https://www.roadtripryan.com/go/a/utah/cedar-mesa/#?tab=Area%20Map

We spent a couple of nights in this area and had it largely to ourselves in late April.

The area around 7 Kivas/Road Canyon/The Citadel on Cedar Mesa is also a good option for a base camp if you don't mind some longer hikes (7 kiva from the head of the canyon is actually more like 12 miles round trip, not 8 that one guide book claims)

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Thanks. Does the edition number matter? I know that over the years, some publications have removed certain hikes.

Kevin

I don't know about the edition number issues. We bought our copies (all volumes) about 6 years ago, and have used them ever since.

 

[kmcintyre]

Thanks everyone. Regarding the mining claims, I wonder if there will be any type of rush given people could have done that before (or maybe not). I'm hoping that the lawsuits will stop the reduction in the monument.

 

[searching for nowhere]

When I was there the Cedar Mesa visitor center was staffed with volunteers that had been coming there for 9 years. They were full of knowledge that they freely gave out. I suggest that you stop in.

Here is a web site with a lot of information and one of the maps on the site.

http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/bears-ears/national-monument.html

A wonderful place to camp is Mulie Point right above the Moki Dugway.