One of the newer and larger national monuments, Bears Ears, covers over 1.2 million acres of Utah wilderness. It is known for its mountains, deserts, forests, and incredible archaeological sites.
The House on Fire trail takes visitors through an easy and mostly flat trail to a lovely and accessible cliff dwelling. This is just a small portion of what you’d see in the national monument but also a great introduction. For those interested, read the guide to learn more.
About the Hike
Distance: 1.8 miles | Type: Out & Back | Avg. Time: 35 mins | Difficulty: Easy | Dog Friendly: No
The House on Fire hike is one of the easiest places to access beautiful cliff dwellings in the park. It’s an easy hike along an old wash that leads to a small cliff dwelling under an overhang.
The trail does leave the wash occasionally, and you should watch for its direction. However, if you lose it, you can follow the wash mostly anyway, as you’ll often return to it shortly.
The last bit of the trail comes to a rocky slope, which you’ll ascend to visit the cliff dwellings. The trail here is just an out-and-back, so you’ll return via the same trail you came out on.
Given that the trail follows a wash, it can be muddy after a rain. Depending on the season, you’ll often see some standing and flowing water in places. I recommend wearing shoes you don’t mind getting muddy.
Note: Visitors to Cedar Mesa & Comb’s Ridge require a day-use pass, bookable online at recreation.gov or in person at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station.
House on Fire Trailhead & Parking
Trailhead: Location
Use the link above for the trailhead’s location. The location on Google shows a different location.
The trailhead is located on Mule Canyon Road, which is off UT-95. The road is located between the town of Blanding and the Natural Bridges National Monument.
The road is unpaved but should be navigable by any vehicle. There’s no marked parking, but parking along the road is allowed; just try to park to the side so as not to block vehicles.
Best Time to Do the Hike
The trail is open year-round, with the best times between March and November. Summers in the park can be hot and winters can be very cold.
Spring and Fall are the best times to hike for the weather. I prefer Fall for most of my hikes in this part of Utah due to the leaves changing color.
The only tricky part is the rock areas at the end, which can be icy in the winter. The trail can be muddy in the rain and slick on the rocks up to the cliff dwelling. August – September is the monsoon season in Utah, so it can be difficult to hike here along the wash.
The House on Fire Hike
The trail starts on the left about 0.3 miles down Arch Canyon Road. You’ll see a small marker that says “fee site” which denotes the start of the trail.
The start is a quick descent from the road to the trail.
You’ll go a short distance and see a board with postings and a guest book. You can sign if you want to, but the preference is to sign if possible.
The trail here is flat, and you’ll go back and forth along the wash. You’ll cross several times back and forth across the wash. I found the trail pretty recognizable, but I recommend following the wash if you lose it.
This is about 0.7 miles along the trail. It’s a small rock area. It’s just a nice marker for your distance along the trail.
Near the end of the trail, about 0.9 miles in total, you’ll see a small trail sign pointing to the right. This will point you to the rock area where the cliff dwelling is located.
Ascend the rock face here. Just be careful; it can be slippery (and more so when going down).
At the top of the rocks, you’ll see the “house on fire” cliff dwelling. There are several rooms here. Entering any of the dwellings is prohibited, but feel free to look inside. They are small rooms with not much in them though.
From here you can look around the cliff dwelling area. There isn’t much more to it beyond these few rooms. Once you are done, just turn around and follow the trail back to the trailhead.
Tips & FAQs
- Book the day pass ahead of time. There’s poor cell signal at the trailhead.
- Wear shoes you don’t mind getting muddy.
- Bring 1L of water or more if in the summer. It’s an easy hike but you should be prepared.
- Bring sunscreen. There’s little cover over much of the hike.
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