3 Best Sights in Bluff, Moab and Southeastern Utah

Named for its striking pair of massive buttes, Bears Ears National Monument stretches across more than a million acres of land sacred to several Native American tribes. Countless archaeological sites and artifacts dot this remote landscape, including cliff dwellings, petroglyphs, pictographs, and a prehistoric road system. The scenery is awe-inspiring, too, with remote canyons, vast grasslands, and the kind of towering red-rock formations southern Utah is famous for. Opportunities abound here to hike, rock climb, river raft, and embark on scenic drives, and visitor information is available at both the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service offices in Monticello. Because of the long history that surrounds you in Bears Ears, being especially respectful of your surroundings is a must. In Bluff, the Bears Ears Education Center offers further guidance on how to explore such a culturally important area. 

While entering the monument is free, permits and passes are required in the Shash Jáa Special Recreation Management Area and the Cedar Mesa Special Recreation Management Area. Depending on the time of year, these can be purchased at trailheads or at  www.recreation.gov. The hike to Moon House, an Ancestral Puebloan dwelling, is so popular that only 20 hikers are allowed per day and a separate permit is required.

With grounds almost a full city block in size, this very kid-friendly restored fort is a must-see, transporting you back to the 1880s and into the lives of the Mormon pioneers who settled in Bluff. Wander in and out of tiny re-created cabins (plus one original), each representing the experience of a founding family. Their descendants even helped build and decorate the cabins with family artifacts and photos, displayed alongside written histories. Children can try their hand at roping toy steers or buy some of the house-made candy at the little kitchen, which also sells soft-serve ice cream and other snacks.

A reconstructed co-op store anchors the fort and doubles as a visitor center, displaying photos and a video that tell more of the area's past. There you can also buy crafts handmade by the fort's many friendly volunteers. Dressed in historical garb, they're happy to go into even more detail with you about the history of this place and the stunning area that surrounds it. Though the grounds are open daily, the store closes on Sunday.

A red fairyland of slender spires and buttes, the Valley of the Gods is a smaller version of Monument Valley. Approximately 15 miles west of Bluff, you can take a pretty drive through this relatively unvisited area on 17-mile-long Valley of the Gods Road, which begins on U.S. 163 and ends on Highway 261. The road is unpaved but should be drivable as long as it's dry.