Moon House, Bears Ears National Monument, Utah

 Moon House is one of the most impressive ruins by Anasazi (ancient Native American). The decorations of the ruin is very unique and interesting. These are thought to be used by Anasazi ~800 years ago. Due to possibly drought, they abandoned the area. Despite that, weirdly enough, when I was there I felt like as if they were there yesterday. Also I felt like their souls were still floating around there. I love to see Anasazi ruins and surrounding beautiful canyons in American Southwest. It is so exciting. 

Moon House is located in Cedar Mesa in Bears Ears National Monument. From Highway261, turn into dirt road: Snow Flat road. This road is bumpy. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) states that this is a 2WD road, but I think that it is a 4WD road. Not surprising since it is BLM. After ~8 miles, there is a 2WD parking lot. There is another 4WD (BLM says) road,  a little more than 1 mile to the 4WD parking. We parked at the 2WD parking lot.  No single other car at either parking when we were there. 4WD road is not bad, but quite tilted. 

To visit Moon House, permit is required. $5/person. 20 people per day is permitted to go. During winter time, there is no need to go to the ranger station to validate the permit, because Kane Gulch ranger station is closed during summer (too hot and few people hike in the area) and winter (too cold and few people hike in the area but crazy ones like us). During spring and fall, permit is needed to be validated by ranger at the ranger station. I read on the internet there was no permit requirement long time ago. I read a blog by Utah local saying that he didn't want to share the Moon House information in 90's. Words had spread and when the permit was enforced, he wrote that it was $2. Now $5. Time changes. By internet, more and more secret ruins are revealed. I am sure that before the internet era, only local people knew treasury ruin locations. 

Including 4WD road walk, the total hike is only 4.5 miles, but we took time to explore the main ruin, granaries, and kiva. There is a used path, but don't expect any signs or smoothed trail like National Park provides. The hike first goes down to the bottom of canyon, then goes up to the other side of canyon where Moon House resides. The below picture was taken before we went down to the bottom of the canyon. This is a great overview of Moon House. 

Moon house overview

Outer wall of Moon House

The left picture is the outer wall of Moon House. Can you see many holes in the wall? According to the BLM information, there are 27 holes. BLM call it loop hole, but other people say peep holes. When I actually peep from each hole, it is amazing. Each hole pinpoints the important direction. For example, one hole directs at the granary entry. The other hole to see the trail junction. One to see the ledge with corn grinding area. Some for canyon bottom of left, middle, and right.  Each hole is meaningful. 

Peep holes

The picture in the left is peep holes from inside. One in the right looks like mortar was added after making the hole in the right direction. If these holes were the defensive purposes, their life must have been a really tough one. Were they always being cautious and monitoring enemies? At the same time, considering some holes pinpoints their own balcony for example, I thought that it might be also not trusting their own clan. Looking at grinding area might be to monitor if everyone is actually working, not slacking off. Anyways the truth is unknown. Mr.N thought that these holes are for air ventilation. I disagree, because if they were for ventilation, there is no need to be directed differently. 

Inside of outer wall

It is allowed to go inside through the doorway of outer wall. The left picture is inside. There are 6-7 rooms inside. (BLM note says no entry to the inner rooms). You notice the ceiling is quite black. It must be from fire. Thus I think these rooms are the living rooms. Hiding smoke might be another purpose in addition to defense to have the outer wall, so that enemy don't notice their residency. 

More inner rooms

The above next picture is more inner rooms. At the edge of this picture in the right, you see a different color of rooms are connected. That is the one in the upper picture. Inner rooms might have been added, since colors are different. Maybe family members or tribe expanded? This room has Moon House's signature decoration. White line with double triangles pointing below and white dots above the white line. Also there are some holes at the bottom and top for air flow for fire. 

 

Inside the inner rooms

Inside the inner rooms have also the same decorations. White dots and white line with double triangles. The room in the left picture has white circle not painted in white within the line. Also inside of inner room ceiling is extremely black. Fire must have been used a lot here, possibly for cooking and heating. It could be really smokey! 

Inside room

Some of the wall of inner rooms are consisted of logs. They are neatly tied big and small logs by rushing. Amazing to see those work now. Even logs are all very black (but not burnt, meaning fire was not large). 

More inner rooms

The white dots are the really signature of Moon House. Not only painting, but also small white rocks are decorated in the mortar. It might be hard to see in the left picture, but white small rocks are neatly lined in the mortar in the wall. We never know what that means, but it must mean something and a lot of effort to construct the house in that way. These are the main living (assuming) area and surrounding area has many granaries on the same ledge. 

Granary near the main Moon House. Interestingly, the big flat rock is incorporated into the side. 

More granary. One of the peep holes focus exactly on the entry of this. Maybe important food was stored here?

Two granaries combined. Interesting. 

On the same ledge with main Moon House, but more than 5 minutes walk apart. Very big granary or storage. I assume these are not the living area, because the ceiling is not black. Interestingly only the 2nd from the left entry has small white rocks lined for decoration. 

kiva

On the same ledge with half mile walk, there is a kiva. Circular shape with big logs. Some people don't notice this when one finishes the main Moon house, but this is also worth visiting. 

Overall, Moon House is a great ruin to look at. The unique point is decoration that cannot be seen anywhere else.