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| A ruin on the rim of Bullet Canyon |
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| 2 of the shields above Jailhouse Ruin. |
Cedar Mesa. If not for deep canyons scoured into it, Cedar Mesa
would be a pretty bland place. The mesa top, covered in pinion and the
ubiquitous juniper, seems to connect with the blue dome of sky, isolating it from
all else. But we can’t wander very far before our way is terminated by a drop
into a canyon almost unseen until we arrive at the edge. The void beckons us to
descend, eyes searching for a way through colorful cliffs and rubble slopes.
The canyons hold the promise of cliff dwellings, rock art and magnificent
scenery.
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| Inside the 1st level of Jailhouse Ruin. |
This is our 3rd time at Cedar Mesa so I guess
it’s not finished with us. Its mysteries and surprises keep calling us back.
Hiking these scenic canyons is wonderful in its self but seeing the ruins is
the reward.
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| More rooms on the 1st level. |
Bullet Canyon. We did a 3-day backpack down Bullet Canyon
which has several nice ruins. We set a base camp near a spring at the confluence
of Bullet and Jailhouse Canyons and did a day hike into Grand Gulch. The most
significant ruins in Bullet are Perfect Kiva and Jailhouse. We visited Perfect
Kiva two years before and didn’t go to it on this trip.
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| The barred window at Jailhouse Ruin. |
Jailhouse Ruin. Jailhouse Ruin is on 2 levels with the top
level being inaccessible. We easily located it on the cliff by 3 white shields
painted above the top wall. The left shield has 2 rows of turquoise dots which
makes me think the shields were once more colorful and detailed but are
sun-faded from centuries of exposure. The ruin was named for a window barred
with juniper branches. Below the doorway on level two is a kiva. There may have
been a ladder to the 2nd level from there. As we walked around the 1st
level we found a nicely arranged petroglyph on the point of rock just below a
defensive wall on the 2nd level. Maybe the glyph was for protection
and to discourage enemies or of an important leader connected with the ruin.
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| A grainery in Bullet Canyon. |
We spent a day hiking into Grand Gulch and visited other
sites along the way.
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| More ruins in Bullet Canyon. |
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| A close up view of the above ruin. |
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| Fall color in Bullet Canyon, Jailhouse in background. |
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| A well preserved ruin in upper Road Canyon. |
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| Reverse hand prints on the ceiling above the ruin. |
Road Canyon. After our backpack we spent a night at the
Normal Trailhead at upper Road Canyon and did a day hike down canyon to 7
Kivas. Upper Road Canyon has a very well preserved ruin. The only difficulty in
Road is a half-mile, unmarked traverse on a slope above a cliff to bypass a pour
off. The trail is little used and you don’t know if you’re doing the right
thing until you see a small slide through the cliff that takes you back down to
the bottom. You just have to know that this is the route and you will get back
down eventually. Other than that Road is easy hiking and beautiful for its cliffs,
pour offs and pools. It was an adventure.
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| Reading the information at 7 Kivas. |
Hiking down canyon we missed the small cairn that marked the
Bypass Trail that climbs back to the top and the 2nd trailhead into
Road. We were surprised to come around a bend and look up to see 7 Kivas on a
ledge ahead of us. This is a remarkable site that contains a fully intact kiva.
It’s a mystery as to why so many kivas were built in this place.
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| Kiva interior. |
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| Kiva interior. |
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| Intact Kiva. |
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| Intact Kiva. |
Looking down canyon from the kivas is a clear view to the
east where the 2 slopes of the canyon form a V. Maybe this feature was
important to the Kiva builders.
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| The view down canyon for 7 Kivas. |
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| Hiking in beautiful Road Canyon. |
Hiking back up canyon we find the cairn making the Short Cut
Trail and ascend to the parking lot. From here it was only a 2.5 mile hike
along the road back to our Sprinter but not near as interesting.
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| Hiking out of Road Canyon on the Short Cut Trail. |
We have enough of the day left to go to Muley Point and camp
our last night on Cedar Mesa before heading for Durango.
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| Muley Point looking into the San Juan. |
Muley Point. Muley Point offers boon docking with a grand view. The Goose
Necks of the San Juan meander 1,600 ft. below. To the south the buttes of
Monument Valley are veiled by distance and the round shoulders of Navajo
Mountain anchor the southwest horizon. The bronze afternoon sun sweetens the honey
colored cliffs and the land is aglow until the stars come out.
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| Muley Point at sunrise from our camp. |
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| Our camp at Muley Point. |
Catch us on our next post from Chimney Rock. See you down the road.
Jackie
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