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At the time of this writing, the Cedar Mesa region is rumored to be a target for National Monument status….and for good reason, it’s a truly special place. This tour is a view into the geological and archaeological history of what is still a relatively unknown area to many.
We start above Cedar Mesa circumnavigating the red rock formations of Tables of the Sun and then descending onto the scenic rim of Red Canyon. We then spend a day hiking into an incredible sandstone canyon in the heart of Cedar Mesa, Grand Gulch, viewing numerous ancient Puebloan ruins and rock art. Next we descend off Cedar Mesa watching the topography and plant life slowly change as we make our way to the shadow of Comb Ridge, a unique sandstone monocline extending 120 miles north to south. Finally, we weave our way through the rock formations of Valley of the Gods, which are in fact eroded remnants of Cedar Mesa.
We’ll meet bright and early 7:30am Monday morning at the Best Western in Monticello, Utah and load up for our week’s adventure. From there we have about an hour and a half shuttle to the start of our first day’s ride. The ride starts with a winding climb up Fry Canyon Rd as we start to see Fry Canyon itself below us as we climb to the Tables of the Sun. The Tables of the Sun area represent a geological layer above Cedar Mesa and the tables themselves are carved out as stunning, freestanding red rock mesas. As we circumnavigate the tables we’ll be rewarded with amazing views the north of Cheesebox Butte, the Bear’s Ears formations and the Abajo Mountains. As we swing around to the south we’ll look down into Grand Gulch (our third day’s hike), see Comb Ridge in the distance, and on clear days, we’ll even see Monument Valley in northern Arizona. At the end of our ride we’ll descend swiftly off the Tables of the Sun mesa and down to the head of Red Canyon and our awe inspiring campsite overlooking a finger of Red Canyon. Ride length is approximately 16 miles.
Our route today is one long beautiful traverse of the rim of Red Canyon. The views slowly change throughout the day, eventually putting Tables of the Sun in our rear view mirrors and turning the corner to yet another viewpoint of a deep side canyon to Red Canyon. Throughout the day we’ll see numerous old abandoned mines from yesteryear and an array of color in the rock that rivals a painter’s palette. After a great day we’ll reach our campsite tucked in a small wash out of the wind and among the cedar, juniper and pinon trees. Today’s ride length is about 20 miles.
Grand Gulch hike day. Grand Gulch is a deep cut canyon in the sandstone of Cedar Mesa and thousands come from all over the world to see it each year. Grand Gulch is an “outdoor museum” and one of the best places in the world to hike for an archeological interest in a scenic and wilderness setting, rather than under a glass case in a museum in some large city. Grand Gulch is full of Anasazi Indian ruins, as well as several earlier archeological sites. Most ruins are around 800 to 1200 years old, but some are as recent as 700 years old, and some are as old as 2000 years old. Around 1300 AD the Anasazi moved south and into the Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico. Since then, so one has ever lived in Grand Gulch, but the ruins of an ancient civilization remain.
The rediscovery of Grand Gulch happened in 1880, and several archeological parties visited the canyons between the years 1890 and 1897. Now days, it is very illegal to remove or otherwise disturb the sites in any way. Grand Gulch itself is over 50 miles long, so hikes range from one day to several weeks, but we will be hiking a 14-mile route for the day. This is the “crux” of the tour…your ability to complete a long day hike of 8 or so hours is essential.
After our physical effort in Grand Gulch on day three, day four is welcome relief as our ride today is mostly downhill….you can even sleep in a bit! Today’s ride is one of subtlety – we start with a gentle cruise in thick stands of cedar and pinon, but soon evidence of our descent off Cedar Mesa itself will become visible as we see bands of sandstone falling off into washes and side canyons. As we clear the trees long views of the east, north and south will give you the proper perspective as well as incredible views of the Abajo Mountains and the 120-mile long sandstone monocline that is Comb Ridge. Our ride ends in Comb Wash in the shadow of Comb Ridge for our night’s camp. Ride length is about 25 miles.
Our final day of riding is in Valley of the Gods; what many refer to as “mini-Monument Valley”. Valley of the Gods is actually an ancient chunk of Cedar Mesa itself, simply eroded over millions of years to form unique rock formations in the shadow of Cedar Mesa. After a quick 10 minute shuttle to the entrance to the valley, our gentle ride today meanders in and out of these formations with plenty of time to sit and ponder our surroundings. Ride length is about 17 miles.
After a great week of riding, we say goodbye and return you to the Best Western hotel in Monticello, UT mid-afternoon.
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