Cedar Mesa Backcountry Permit Information
Backcountry permits are required in the following Cedar Mesa Canyons: Grand Gulch, Slickhorn Canyons, Fish Canyon, Owl Canyon, North and South Forks of Mule Canyon north of U.S. Highway 95, Road Canyon, Lime Creek, and their tributaries.
ON SEASON – March 1 – June 15 and September 1 – October 31
Day Use Permits $2.00/per person/per day
$5.00/per person/ 7 consecutive day pass
Overnight Permits $8.00/per person/per trip
Overnight Permits
All advanced and walk-in overnight permits must be picked up on the day of your trip at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon, 7 days a week. Advanced overnight permits may be reserved up to 90 days prior to your trip through the Monticello Field Office at (435) 587-1510.
Commercial groups, groups of 8 or more people, or groups using pack or saddle stock must obtain their permits by advance reservation through the Monticello Field Office. Walk in permits will not be issued to these groups.
Day Use Permits
Permits may be obtained at each trailhead through a self pay system.
OFF SEASON – June 16 – August 31 and November 1 – February 28
Day Use Permits $2.00/per person/per day
$5.00/per person/ 7 consecutive day pass
Overnight Permits $5.00/per person/per trip
All overnight and day use permits may be self issued at each trailhead during the off season.
Overnight permits for commercial groups, or groups using pack or saddle stock must be obtained in advance through the Monticello Field Office at (435) 587-1510.
Annual Day Use Passes
The annual day use pass is $20.00 and can be purchased at the Monticello Field Office or the Kane Gulch Ranger Station. This pass is good through the calendar year and will cover all passengers in the vehicle.
Saddle and Pack Stock Use
1. All Commercial and Private Stock Use reqires a Permit
A permit reservation system is in place requiring advanced reservation permits for overnight use to be obtained from the BLM Monticello Field Office at least 3 weeks in advance for private parties and by July of the previous year for commercial trips. Walk-In overnight permits are not available. Physical permits for commercial and private trips must be obtained from the Kane Gulch Ranger Station between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon on the trip start date or one day prior. Private day use does not require an advanced permit. All commercial and organized groups are required to submit a Special Recreation Application. All groups of 8 or more must make reservations for overnight use.
- OVERNIGHT STOCK USE AREAS: Kane Gulch, Collins Canyon, Government Trail, Grand Gulch from Kane Gulch to Collins Canyon, Fish Creek Canyon from Comb Wash to confluence with Owl Canyon, Mule Canyon South of U-95, Road Canyon, Lime Creek Canyon, Johns Canyon and Arch Canyon.
- AREAS FOR DAY USE ONLY: Bullet Canyon from Grand Gulch to Jailhouse Ruin, Two miles upstream Fish Canyon from the confluence with Owl Canyon, McLloyd Canyon to the impassable pour off, and Owl Canyon to Nevill’s Arch.
- AREAS CLOSED TO STOCK USE: Grand Gulch below Collins Canyon, all of the Slickhorn Canyons, Mule Canyon north of U-95, Bullet Canyon above Jailhouse Ruin, Fish Creek Canyon from 2 miles upstream from Fish Creek and Owl Creek confluence, and Owl Canyon above Nevill’s Arch.
- USE LIMITATIONS. Stock use, both day and overnight, is subject to the provisions of the Grand Gulch Plateau Cultural and Recreation Management Plan which allows for no more than one overnight stock party at a time in any canyon on Cedar Mesa. However, Grand Gulch is limited to only one stock trip at any time, day or overnight. In the other canyon systems on Cedar Mesa day stock use, at this time, is not restricted. The BLM will monitor day use, and reserves the right to implement a day use allocation and reservation system at a future date if the impacts of day use visitation warrant.
2. GROUP SIZE for overnight and day use in the Grand Gulch Primitive Area, and other Cedar Mesa Canyons are restricted to 12 individuals and 10 animals (pack and/or saddle).
3. FEES: All private overnight trips must be paid in advance through the Monticello Field office. Private day use fees may be paid in advance or at the fee tubes located at trailheads. Fees are $8.00 per person/per trip for overnight use (March 1 – June 14 and Sept. 1 – Oct. 31) and $5.00 per person/per trip during off seasons or $2.00 per person/per day for day use. Commercial fees are billed at the end of each season.
4. CAMPING is allowed only at existing campsites. No new campsites may be developed. Camping in Grand Gulch between Kane Gulch and Bullet Canyon is limited to no more than two consecutive nights at one campsite. The bench surrounding Split Level Ruin in Grand Gulch is closed to camping. No unauthorized use of existing corrals.
5. FEED: All riding and pack animals must be fed certified weed-free feed for 48 hours in advance of and for the duration of the trip on public lands. Adequate amounts of feed will be carried for all stock.
6. LOOSE HERDING of pack and saddle stock is prohibited. All stock must be under physical control. When tethered, all stock must be at least 200 feet away from any water source and well away from archaeological sites and their surrounding benches.
7. NO NEW TRAILS will be established for stock use. Use will be restricted to existing trails and routes in areas open to recreational stock use.
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More Information
Information line (435) 587-1532, for current road, trail, weather and water conditions.
HUMAN WASTE
Disposal of human waste is not permitted within 200 feet of a water source or campsite. Human waste should be deposited in shallow catholes (6 inches deep) and covered with soil. Please pack out toilet paper. Burning of toilet paper has resulted in a number of wildfires in Grand Gulch.
WATER
All water should be filtered, treated or boiled for 3-5 minutes before drinking. At certain times of year, or in certain conditions, it can be difficult to find water. Please check at the Kane Gulch Contact Station for the most current water conditions.
GROUP SIZE LIMITS
The group size limit for any of the canyons is 12. Pack stock is limited to 10 animals per party.
FIRES
There are no fires allowed in Grand Gulch or in any of the other canyons on Cedar Mesa. Stoves may be used for cooking. Fires are allowed on the mesa top or where one is in a dispersed vehicle camping area. If you are going to have a fire, use a fire pan or an existing fire ring. DO NOT create a new fire ring.
IN CANYON CAMPING
There are no designated camps. Please use camps that have previously been used, or camp on slickrock to lessen your impact on the canyons. You must camp at least 100 feet from a water source. Camping, sleeping, cooking or lighting a fire in a ruin, or the alcoves they are in, is not permitted. Carbon and other introduced material can prevent dating and other scientific analysis of the site.
When camping in Grand Gulch, note that the Split Level Ruin and surrounding bench area are closed to camping. In addition, you may not camp within one mile of the San Juan River when backpacking in Slickhorn or Grand Gulch.
MAPS AND BOOKS
The Canyonlands Natural History Association (CNHA) has a large selection of maps and books available through CNHA by mail or phone order at (800) 840-8978 or at their website www.cnha.org
COMMERCIAL OUTFITTERS
If you are looking for a commercial outfitter to assist you in exploring Cedar Mesa click here outfitters for a list of permitted outfitters. Hiring and using a non-permitted outfitter will result in a fine to both the trip participants and the commercial outfitter.
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ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES
There are numerous cultural sites on the Grand Gulch/Cedar Mesa Plateau. The larger sites in Grand Gulch are marked on the map, but keep your eyes open for smaller less visible sites scattered throughout the canyons. It is unlawful to use climbing equipment to access archeological sites.
Here are some things to keep in mind when visiting cultural sites:
Please Stay Out of the Trash
The midden is sometimes thought of as a prehistoric trash mound. It is usually soft, charcoal-stained soil located immediately down slope of an alcove or cliff site. Middens contain valuable evidence of day to day activities revealing changing preferences in pottery, food, tools and even treatment of the dead. Please avoid creating or using trails through midden area, as trailing increases the natural erosion processes which eventually destroy these reservoirs of scientific information.
Would you want someone violating your ancestor's bones?
If you come upon human bones, please leave them alone and notify a ranger as soon as it is possible. Keep in mind that burial sites are the remains of ancestors of present day Native Americans and should be treated with respect. Native people view burials as part of a cycle. Birth, life, and then death are all a stage of the cycle, as is the process of burial or the abandonment of a village. When a burial takes place it is not seen as a leaving, but is a state of being that should not be disturbed by anything but the forces of nature.
Whether its paintings or peckings, rock art is always exciting to find
You may find two types of rock art on your trip. Petroglyphs are pictures carved into the rock by pecking, incising, and scratching. Pictographs are paintings on the rock surface. You will see a variety of figures, animals, and abstract representations. Because the drawings do not present a written language as we know it, their meaning is left to our imaginations. When viewing rock art it is important to keep in mind that the real importance is not found in literal meaning, but in the feelings that result from the viewing. We are privileged to be looking at the abstract expressions of earlier peoples. As the oils on your fingers speed the erosion of rock art, please don't touch these ancient traces of previous cultures. The taking of latex mold prints or rubbings from rock art or adding modern additions is vandalism.
Bring those memories home with you, take a picture!
One way to enjoy archaeological sites and rock art in a low impact fashion is by photography. However, please be cautious when publishing captions. Avoid naming a site or offering its location. We know you want a good picture, but please never chalk rock art or light fires nearby to enhance the quality of a photograph.
DOGS
cYou can bring your dog into most of the canyons, but you should know that the opportunity to hike with dogs in the Cedar Mesa Canyons could be lost. Due to numerous visitor complaints and concerns regarding dogs, the BLM is considering banning dogs from all Cedar Mesa canyons. How well you manage your dog in the canyons today will bear directly on the future of this privilege.
Cedar Mesa Pet Stipulations
- Dogs must be leashed at all times.
- Pets are not allowed in Grand Gulch below Collins Canyon or in Slickhorn.
- Pets are not allowed in alcoves, or in cultural sites.
- Pets are not allowed to swim or play in springs, pot holes or other natural water sources (you and I drink this water).
- Pets must not harass or harm wildlife.
- Pets must not harass visitors or other visitors' pets.
- Pets are not allowed to bark often or incessantly
- Pet waste must be buried in a shallow hole away from trails, campsites, cultural sites and natural water sources.
- Please remember, it is only courteous to clean up after your dog if it makes a mess in the trail or in camp.
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Suggested Day Hikes
These hikes are located on the Grand Gulch/Cedar Mesa Plateau
Kane Gulch
From the Kane Gulch contact station (located on highway 261) you can hike down Kane Gulch and into Grand Gulch. It is 4 miles to the junction of Kane and Grand Gulch and the trail drops approximately 600 feet in elevation. At this intersection, you can view a cliff dwelling called Junction Ruin. If you decide to continue, in the next mile you can see Turkey Pen Ruin and Stimper Arch. From Kane Gulch contact station to Stimper Arch is 10 miles round trip. That's about a full day hike for most people, especially because you'll want to take time to explore the cultural sites and take some pictures. There is a day hike fee of $2.00/person/day or $5.00/person for seven consecutive days. An annual day hike pass is also available for $20 from the Monticello Office or the Kane Gulch Ranger Station.
Arch Canyon
Arch Canyon is a twelve mile long box canyon located north of highway 95. If you are traveling west on highway 95 from Blanding, turn north on the Comb Wash road (a dirt road approximately one mile west of Comb Ridge, 14 miles west of the highway 95 and 191 intersection). The mouth of Arch canyon is 2 1/2 miles up that road. The canyon has beautiful redrock walls, and it is possible to see several arches. The creek that runs along the bottom of the canyon normally has water (all water should be treated prior to drinking). Look along the canyon walls for hanging gardens. As you look for hanging gardens, you are also likely to spot cliff dwellings. Please remember to treat these special places with respect. This trail has no fee.
Mule Canyon
The south and north forks of Mule Canyon are accessed from highway 95. Look for the graded county road (SJ 263) on the north side of the highway, approximately 19 miles west of Blanding, Utah. Because of the orientation of this canyon one finds slickrock walls mixed with ponderosa pines. There is a day hike fee of $2.00/person/day or $5.00/person for seven consecutive days. An annual day hike pass is also available for $20 from the Monticello Office or the Kane Gulch Contact Station.
Would you like to be a VOLUNTEER at Grand Gulch and other Cedar Mesa Canyons?
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