Henry Mountains

The red rocks South of Moab, Utah stand in stark contrast to the snow-capped Henry Mountains in the distance.

Indian Paintbrush

Pollys Island

An ancient Pueblo dwelling can be spotted near the very top of this 'island'. It is called an island because the riverbed used to meander around the back of this rock, but over hundreds of thousands of years water cut its way to a shorter path, which is the way the river now flows (see the clear sandy area on the right).

Big Man Pictograph

High above the floor of the Gulch. You have to keep a watchful eye to find this one, even with a guidebook!

Unnamed Ruin

There are so many ruins in the Gulch, many of them are unlisted on maps and guidebooks. This is one such ruin very close to a natural arch in the lower section of the gulch.

Handprints Panoramic

The Bend

What these particular Pueblo families would have seen from their doorstep.

Ruin Near Green House Canyon

Multi-level ruins are rarely this well intact. This one sits on a ledge high off the ground, likely accessed by its residents via ladders.

Jailhouse Ruin III

The ruins of the Jailhouse area, upper and lower levels, as well as several large examples of exquisite pictographs.

Jailhouse Artwork

Several hand-prints in white dye and a long maze-like path or symbol on the blackened sandstone roof of the Jailhouse Ruin

Jailhouse Ruin I

One of the smaller buildings that make up the series of ruins in the 'Jailhouse'

Jailhouse Ruin Artwork

A large white circle with two dotted green lines down either side. Artwork left by the Pueblo people over 1,000 years ago.

Jailhouse Window

'Jailhouse' ruin got it's nickname from this type of construction using wood as reinforcement for the mud walls, rather than stacking rocks with mortar between them.

Jailhouse Ruin II

Another building of the Jailhouse Ruins

Kiva Ladder II

A close up of the bottom of the kiva ladder and air vent in the bottom of Perfect kiva

Timber Closeup

A closeup of the wood used to reinforce the roof of an ancient residence.

Metates Panoramic

One large stone which was used for grinding food. Quite possibly by several people at once.

Perfect Kiva Dwelling

An ancient corn cob sits on a rock as though someone just finished eating the corn days ago. It rests in front of Perfect Kiva and a dwelling at a site by the same name.

Perfect Kiva Entrance

This Kiva has, unfortunately, had to be restored extensively over the years. Few intact Kivas exist anymore, so the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) chose to have this one restored to (nearly) perfect condition for the enjoyment of modern people. It may not be 100% authentic, but it's still better than inside a museum!

Miles Photographing Perfect Kiva

Two White Negative Prints

White dye was likely blown from a tube not unlike a straw or sprayed from someone's mouth over the top of a hand to create these 'negative' print pictographs.

Kiva Ladder

The ladder entrance into Prefect Kiva

Shelf Ruin

A dwelling on the lower level of Shelf Ruin, with three pieces of broken pottery (Potsherds) lying on a stone in front of the entrance.

Shelf Ruin II

The lower level of Shelf Ruin in Grand Gulch.

Split Level Ruin

Another rare multi-level dwelling in Grand Gulch. These buildings are in fairly good condition but cannot be accessed (the price we pay to preserve them for future generations).

Pieces of the Past

Two potsherds and an old corn cob lie in the sand at the base of an ancient ruin in Grand Gulch, Utah

Towering Walls of the Gulch

Even without the archaeological wonders, this would still be an amazing place to visit.

Adjoining Grainaries

Two grainaries, or store-houses, built against the sandstone wall in the Turkeypen Ruin area.

Junction Ruin Upper Level

The upper level of Junction Ruin at the joining of Grand Gulch and Kane Gulch in Cedar Mesa, Utah. This area was likely only accessible via a series of ladders, one of which can still be seen hanging broken on the far left side of the ruins.

Junction Ruin Lower Level

Looking down from a sort of mid-point between the upper and lower section of Junction Ruin. The closest structure here was likely a system to support ladders to climb to the next level.

Open Kiva

This open and plundered Kiva has been filled with sand over the years and only the main roof support and walls remain intact.

Metate

Several ancient corn cobs rest on a Pueblo grinding stone known as a Metate.

Junction Ruin

On the left side, you can see a broken ladder used to reach the top level, and under it a structure that seems to have served as support for the ladder systems to gain access to the upper levels of ruins like these.

Rattlesnake

A snake flicks it's tongue from it's coiled position on the warm sand of the desert.