Butler Wash is about located about 5 miles west of the quaint historic town of Bluff, Utah. The wash runs along the east side of Comb Ridge. It is one of my favorite places to explore. It is easy to access. And most of the hikes are fairly short. Here you can see many sites in a relatively short amount of time. You can stay in Bluff at the Desert Rose Inn or The Recapture Lodge. Though I prefer to camp most of the time in Butler Wash since there are just loads of places to camp.
Here lies a broken metate - part of a "metate y mano"- that was found at Monarch Cave Ruin. This is a hand grinding tool made of stone that was used used for processing grain. You will notice the two small corn cobs lying between the broken smooth rock (mano) and the bowl (metate) . It is not unusual to find corn cobs of the Anasazi inhabitants at any of these sites. These artifacts are over 700 years old.
Tower House Ruin is located at the head of Butler Wash. This ruin is also very easy to get to.This is a short video of a thunderstorm approching as we were down in the canyon just entering TowerHouse. This could have been very dangerous (flash floods) but lucky for us it only sprinkled.
Small structure next to Tower House Ruin
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Though you cannot see the upper ruin on the ledge in this photo, this is the lower part of Double Stack Ruin.
Here are some hand prints that were painted on the rock over 9oo years ago by an ancient Anasazi. These pictographs are located above Double Stack Ruin in Butler Wash.
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Another view of Hobbs Wash Ruin.
The trail down from the parking area to Hobbs Wash Ruin, with Comb Ridge in the background. (click on photo for larger view) This is a "shortcut" route and the decsend into the wash is quite steep. There is also a longer trail to this ruin, in which you do have to backtrack, to this site where the decend down to it is easier. I will post that route as we get closer to spring.
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My hiking friend, Clark, from Louisianna and myself in Cold Springs Cave on Comb Ridge with Butler Wash in the background.
Here I am with my wife Max, and my exploring buddy Clark, in Cold Springs Cave Ruin that is located on the east side of Comb Ridge and is accessed from Butler Wash.
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Bulls Eye Ruin
Here Max is standing under Bulls Eye Ruin. Many people walk right past the draw that leads up to this ruin, on their way to Ballroom Ruin, without ever knowing this ruin is here. It is a shame they miss it. You park right next to the "Butler Wash Ruin" sign as you are traveling west on Hwy 95. You do NOT go into the Butler Wash Ruin parking lot to reach this ruin. It is a very easy (short) hike.
We call this ruin "Bulls Eye Ruin" but some people know it as "Target Ruin". As you can see in this photo there is a large "bulls eye" or "target" painted on the inside wall of this ruin. There is also a photo taken in the 1890's of this ruin in the book "Cowboys & Cave Dwellers" by Fred Blackburn where it is identified as " Signature Ruin".
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Wolfman Panel in Butler Wash
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Snake House Ruin ( also known as River House Ruin) is located near the mouth of Butler Wash where it flows into the San Juan River. If you don't want to hike down Butler Wash to the river, this ruin can also be accessed by either a 4x4 or a high clearance vehicle from the dirt road that runs along the west side of Comb Ridge down to the river. This road is is part of the old historic "Hole in the Rock" trail that the Mormons used to to settle the town of Bluff in the year 1880. This ruin has a very large "snake" painted above the ruin in the alcove.
"Positive" pictograph hands near Snake House Ruin on the San Juan River.
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Butler Wash
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