North Fork of Mule Canyon | Cedar Mesa

Hiking North Fork of Mule Canyon - Cedar Mesa Hiking North Fork of Mule Canyon

Cedar Mesa

Overview

Fri Sunny, with a high near 81. West northwest wind 0 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
81° | 46°
Sat Sunny, with a high near 81.
81° | 50°
Sun Sunny, with a high near 83.
83° | 50°
Mon Sunny, with a high near 88.
88° | 50°
Tue Sunny, with a high near 91.
91° | 53°
RATING: Moderate Hike
SEASON: Any, hot in the summer
GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear
WATER: None, bring all you need.
FLASHFLOOD: Low
Fri Sunny, with a high near 81. West northwest wind 0 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
81° | 46°
Sat Sunny, with a high near 81.
81° | 50°
Sun Sunny, with a high near 83.
83° | 50°
Mon Sunny, with a high near 88.
88° | 50°
Tue Sunny, with a high near 91.
91° | 53°

North Mule Canyon, a stone's throw away from the South Fork of Mule Canyon and the incredibly popular House of Fire Ruin, feels like a world away to visit. Unlike the South Fork of Mule Canyon, the North Fork has fewer ruins, less dramatic ruins, and, as a consequence, much less visitation.

The hike up North Fork is well-traveled enough to be an easy-to-follow trail. The ruins and rock art are all on the north side of the canyon and build in size and quality as you continue up the canyon. The highest ruin I saw on my visit is a very impressive fortress looking granary safely tucked high up the cliff face.

If you have never visited the area, visit the South Fork of Mule Canyon first. If you have already visited the South Fork, I think the North Fork is a worthwhile hike, though certainly not as interesting or pretty to my eye as the South Fork.

Note: A GPS is useful for finding the ruins, or good map skills. Many are small sites, just off the canyon bottom, that can be difficult to spot with all the social trails.

Full Details

To help keep the riff-raff out, and encourage participation, you must login to see the details.

Login For Full Details

Registration is free and easy.

Photos

Comments