Five Kiva Ruins and Arch

The Five Kiva ruins are just minutes from Blanding these ruins and are the closest ruins to access from Blanding.

The ruins are quite large filling a big alcove they are built from one end to the other.

The arch is located before the ruins viewable from across the canyon, there is a trailhead for the arch just before you reach the viewpoint for the arch. The site is unique because it faces east instead of the typical orientation of ruin sites that face south to capture the warmth of the sun.

Notes

Dogs okay

Getting there

From Blanding drive south on Main Street (Highway 191) and turn right (west) at ( 37.602936, -109.478826 ) onto Ruins Road cr(country road 232), and continue for 1.7 miles to the end of the paved road.

Parking

At the turnaround at the end of the road at ( 37.590736, -109.500059 )

Distance

0.6 miles total out and back

Route

Before you reach the parking area for the ruins you come to the Nations Natural Bridge, a nice arch you can see on the opposite side of the canyon. You can park and walk down to the ledges just below you to get closer. Before the viewing area of the arch is a trailhead that will take you across the canyon for a closer look at the arch.

Further down Ruins Road, you come to the dead end where there is parking for the ruins.

You can easily spot the ruins across the canyon on the opposite side just below the rim in a large alcove. Look for a crack in the rocks that will take you down a level to the trail and eventually down and across Westwater Creek and back up the other side where you can get a closer look at the ruins.

Nations Natural Bridge

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The Five Kiva Ruins under the large alcove underhang

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