Bears Ears National Monument: O.M.G.

Bears Ears National Monument, Utah

We spent three nights based in Blanding so we could get a taste of this area and stayed at Blue Mountain RV and Trading. Was a great place to pick and really clean with nice open space behind our spot.

They were very efficient in the check-in process and we wouldn't hesitate to return although our plan is to try to find some dispersed camping next time. That's a little more challenging with our 34' Class A but we did see some areas that might work out. If you are tent camping or have a small little trailer there are TONS of just incredible spots you could set up for free. You just have to be within 150' off a designated road. Oversize vehicles are not allowed in some parts as the roads are just not conducive to that working well at all....lots of gravel/blind curves/steep climbs & descents. If you want to explore you need a high clearance vehicle. We were pretty impressed with our little Chevy Spark and how well it did (it has 6.5" clearance).

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WOW....we could not come up with enough adjectives for the area!!!! Just utterly stunning every turn and direction. The red rock formations, the Juniper, the incredible landscape, the colors in the evening....just can't say enough good things. The weather was perfect (around 70) and there we rarely ran into other people on the trails. It's definitely wet our appetite for return visits & adventures in this area.

We drove up and down the Moki Dugway (not in the RV....ha) and it's just utterly awe inspiring.

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Then we drove the Valley of the Gods and the name really fits. You could just imagine the Greek Gods roaming the area and engaging in epic battles. Here is our little car just doing great on the gravel road.

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Next we drove to Goosnecks State Park - "On the edge of a deep canyon above the sinuous river meander known as a gooseneck, this small park affords impressive views of one of the most striking examples of an entrenched river meander on the North American continent. The San Juan River twists and turns through the meander, flowing a distance of over six miles while advancing one and half miles west on its way to Lake Powell. Gaze at the results of 300 million years of geological activity, where the San Juan River winds and carves its way through the desert 1,000 feet below."

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Then we decided to get in a hike and picked Citadel Ruins. It was about 6.5 miles and you start on a dirt road (after a pretty epic dirt road drive to trailhead parking). Then you end up hiking along the top of the canyon which incredible views and across the sandstone for a bit.

Gallery of Pics

Then you begin some pretty epic scrambling to reach the ancient defensive cliff dwelling only accessible via a land bridge with sheer drop offs on both sides.

All of that hard work then pays off as you reach the incredible ruins!!!!!

We just soaked up the views all around us and the incredible placement of these ruins.

Then back over the bridge and up to the canyon. We were tired but absolutely loved it.

After just an incredible day we drove back at Golden Hour catching gorgeous light.