Sandstone & Ponderosas

May 2022  |  Bears Ears National Monument, Utah

In mid-May we drove west to Bears Ears National Monument in southern Utah for a quick 3-day backpack trip into a unique canyon full of giant ponderosa pines amongst giant sandstone spires. A spring-fed creek provided a pleasant base camp location to relax and spend a day exploring some fascinating and seldom-visited ancient cliff dwellings. Here are a few photos from our trip.

Deer graze in a field below a massive ponderosa pine.

Deer graze in a field below a massive ponderosa pine.

A towering sandstone spire and giant ponderosa pines reflected in a spring fed stream in a higher elevation canyon.

A towering sandstone spire and giant ponderosa pines reflected in a spring fed stream in a higher elevation canyon.

Looking out from behind some Ancestral Puebloan dwellings built in a deep alcove high on the side of a sandstone cliff. The ceiling...

Looking out from behind some Ancestral Puebloan dwellings built in a deep alcove high on the side of a sandstone cliff. The ceiling is coated black with soot from their fires many hundreds of years ago. Dried corn cob husks are still scattered over the floor.

The setting full moon illuminates an ancient Ancestral Puebloan dwelling built in a high alcove perched above a precipitous cliff...

The setting full moon illuminates an ancient Ancestral Puebloan dwelling built in a high alcove perched above a precipitous cliff.

A lonely ancient cliff dwelling.

A lonely ancient cliff dwelling.

A lousy attempt to photograph the lunar eclipse over sandstone formations.

A lousy attempt to photograph the lunar eclipse over sandstone formations.

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