Explore Comb Ridge Area, Bears Ears National Monument, Utah

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NOTE: Day hiking in the Comb Ridge area of Bears Ears National Monument requires a day hiking pass. Day hiking passes are unlimited. Comb Ridge is located in the southern portion of Bears Ears National Monument. Backpackers and day hikers alike enjoy rugged routes through the deep gorges of Grand Gulch and the many canyons within Comb Ridge. Visitors may stop by Kane Gulch Ranger Station to chat with rangers, plan their trip, validate permits, and learn more about this special place. Comb Ridge is a linear north to south-trending monocline nearly 80 miles long in southeast Utah and northeast Arizona. Its northern end merges with the Abajo Mountains some eleven miles west of Blanding. It extends essentially due south for 45 km (28 mi) to the San Juan River. South of the San Juan the ridge turns to the southwest and is more subdued in expression as it extends for an additional 67 km (42 mi) to Laguna Creek 9 km (5.6 mi) east of Kayenta, Arizona. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1976 as the only North American location of tritylodont fossils. The geologic formations involved in the east dipping strata of the fold include the Jurassic aged Navajo Sandstone, Kayenta Formation, Wingate Sandstone, Chinle Formation,Triassic Moenkopi Formation and Permian Organ Rock Formation. The structure is the surface expression of a deep fault along the east margin of the Monument Uplift. Traces of the Ancient Pueblo Peoples culture can be found along the southern part of the ridge where it follows Chinle Wash. The Macomb and Hayden expeditions in 1869 and 1874–1876, respectively, were the first to publish maps and descriptions of this feature.The ridge and adjacent Butler Wash were given their current names in 1884, by P. Holmann. Numerous cliff dwellings are found along the ridge.

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