Directions
The Kane Gulch Ranger Station is located along Utah Highway 261 about four miles south of Highway 95, not far from Natural Bridges National Monument
Activities
AUTO TOURING, HISTORIC & CULTURAL SITE, HIKING, WILDLIFE VIEWING, ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, PHOTOGRAPHY
Related Link(s)
The Kane Gulch Ranger Station serves Cedar Mesa and the Bears Ears National Monument Shash Jáa Unit in Southeastern Utah, an area well known for its cultural resources. Parking for the Kane Gulch Trailhead, which leads into Grand Gulch, is located just north of the Ranger Station. Grand Gulch is a popular destination for backpackers, and is known for it’s abundant Ancestral Puebloan sites in a backcountry canyon setting.
Kane Gulch Ranger Station is the only location to obtain Moon House permits from March 1 – June 15 and September 1 – October 31. Reservations are available on the Recreation.gov website. Moon House is a remote complex of structures in McLoyd Canyon southeast of the Kane Gulch Ranger Station. It is accessed by a strenuous three mile hike and is not for those who fear heights.
Hiking and viewing cultural sites in other nearby canyons like Fish Canyon, Owl Canyon, Slickhorn Canyon, and Mule Canyon are popular as well.
The Ranger Station itself is a destination, where interpretive displays include photographs and drawings of numerous prehistoric sites, primarily rock art, and of archeologists at work. Rangers are available to answer your questions from 8:00 AM until noon March 1 – June 15 and September 1 – October 31. An interpretive video is played regularly, and is required for overnight backpack visitors.
Day, Week, and Annual Day Use Permits and Overnight Permits are available there.
Please remember that all artifacts, rock art, and the prehistoric structures themselves are protected by law. It is illegal to remove artifacts, mark or write on the rocks, or damage the ruins. Violations of the Archaeological Resources Protection Act can result in stiff penalties, including heavy fines and jail sentences.
