Cedar Mesa and the Grand Gulch (Utah)
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Cedar Mesa
The approximately 185,000 acre section of Southeastern Utah
known as Cedar Mesa offers the inquisitive wilderness hiker
a wide variety of experiences and discoveries. The top of
the mesa ranges from 6,000 to 6,800 feet in elevation,
entirely within the Pinon/Juniper eco-zone. The mesa offers
incredible vistas of the surrounding country as well as
habitat for deer, elk, black bear, mountain lion, coyote
and many other species of smaller varmints, birds, and
reptiles. From this perch one can see Navajo Mountain to
the west, Monument Valley to the south, the Sleeping Ute,
and Comb Ridge to the east, the Blue Mountains, Elk Ridge,
and the Bears Ears to the north, and the Henry Mountains to
the north west. The mesa surface is cut by nine major
canyons with hundreds of smaller side canyon tributaries
feeding into them. In contrast to 100 mile vistas on top of
the mesa, the hundreds of miles of canyons winding below
the surface offer an unending assortment of private,
natural galleries formed by magnificent sandstone cliffs
rising 50 to 900 feet from the canyon floor. The cliff
faces are pocked with alcoves and ledges that harbor ruins
and cultural evidence of the ancient Anasazi
civilization.
While the mesa surface suggests water is almost
non-existent in this land, the canyons contain hidden
springs, occasional stretches of stream flow, and seeps
with hanging gardens. Against the backdrop of dry
desolation surrounding them, these areas truly have the
feel of an exclusive oasis/ grotto. Occasionally a water
source becomes a deep, cool pool supporting flora and fauna
unique from the surrounding country. The longest of these
canyons is Grand Gulch, who’s sinuous route cuts 60
plus miles through the sandstone mesa. The other canyons,
though less well known, share the geologic, archaeologic
and natural attractions of the Gulch.
The archaeological record reveals that the area has been
inhabited by humans for the last 15,000
years. From the open mesa top into the
sandstone alcoves and caves of the canyons, paleo-Indians
(clovis people, archaic hunting and gathering cultures, and
the Anasazi) have left the physical remnants of their
cultures. Wooly mammoth kill sites, pit home depressions,
solitary storage structures high in the cliffs, block
structures in the larger caves and alcoves, pictographs,
petroglyphs, and pottery shards await repeated discovery in
the pristine quiet of the high desert air. Mingled with
these remnants of vanished peoples is the pioneer heritage
of the area. Over a century of Anglo presence and the
associated events, legends, and names has added another
aspect to the continuum of human history that is but a
footnote in the record of this immense land’s
existence. Guided trips across Cedar Mesa and into its
canyons, offer the opportunity to experience the atmosphere
and gain knowledge of these magic canyons in a personal
way.
The Grand Gulch
Grand Gulch is the dominant geologic feature on Cedar Mesa.
Its tortuous, twisting, deep-cut path roughly
bisects the mesa and interrupts all overland travel across
the mesa top. Over 60 miles in length, it is the hub of all
activity on Cedar Mesa, both today and throughout the
area’s long and storied history. The history the
canyon has dictated, coupled with its awe-inspiring beauty
and remoteness make Grand Gulch a premium wilderness
destination. Its status as the mesa’s main street
allows one to travel through various displays and remains
of the eras and ages it has endured, from
formation through the present.
Most remarkable, is the
assortment of Anasazi ruins that spy on today’s
visitors from the ubiquitous alcoves and ledges of the
canyon walls. These ruins are the structures that sheltered
and protected the ancients as they farmed the surrounding
mesa top. Pictographs, petroglyphs, artifacts, and ruins
tell stories that are as interesting as they are
incomplete. The Anasazi disappeared from the area sometime
in the 1300’s and the next evidence of sustained
human presence came in the 1800’s with Anglo
settlers’ and explorers’ efforts to tame the
harsh and barren land. Evidence of their presence adds a
chapter to the Gulch’s history and a degree of
intrigue to a hike in the drainage.
1999 saw the institution of a permit system for overnight
use in Grand Gulch and the
surrounding canyons on Cedar Mesa. The permit system has
opened up limited commercial use that was previously under
moratorium. We can now lead guided trips in the Gulch in
addition to doing the private leases. Guided trips into
Grand Gulch are now available on our
trip schedule for spring and
fall dates. These are beautiful seasons to be in the region
as the weather is dry with hospitable temperatures not
found in the summer and winter.
For more information consult the related links on our Resources page.