Moon House Day Hiking Permits
Moon House is just one of the many incredible archeological structures found in the Bears Ears National Monument cultural landscape. Ancestral Puebloans, early residents of Cedar Mesa, left behind traces of their lifestyle and culture in the form of structures, artifacts, and rock imagery. Moon House is known not only for its extensive buildings, but also for pictographs found within its rooms and on nearby walls. In order to protect this sensitive site, the Bureau of Land Management requires a permit to visit Moon House. Read on to learn more about Moon House day hiking permits.
Hiking to Moon House is a rugged experience from start to finish. The road out to Moon House is rough; high-clearance and four-wheel drive are suggested, but the drive can be completed by two-wheel drive vehicles depending on conditions. The trail itself can be challenging for inexperienced hikers. There is a five-foot pouroff halfway to the archeological site which is impassable for some visitors depending on their comfort levels and prior experiences. See our Moon House Guide to determine whether or not a trip to Moon House is suitable for your vehicle and companions. Stop at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station (open seasonally) to check conditions before you hike. Dogs are not allowed in the Moon House Recreational Management Zone. As you prepare for your trip, be sure to check current conditions information, Know Before You Go , Visit W ith Respect , and visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for more information.
Reservations on this site are available for non-commercial hiking only. Commercial and organized groups (including universities, schools, scouts and clubs) must contact the Monticello Field Office for information on additional Special Recreation Permit requirements. No permits or passes are required for car touring and dispersed camping in Bears Ears National Monument. Vehicles and bicycles must stay on open designated roads and visitors must use established campsites and avoid impacting undisturbed areas.
Permit & Season Information
This permit is for visiting Moon House. Starting in the spring of 2023, permit check-in requirements have been reinstated. Your permit is not valid until you meet in person with a BLM Park Ranger. To get your permit validated, print one copy of your permit and visit the Kane Gulch Ranger Station or the Monticello Field Office . A ranger will speak with you about archeological site etiquette , provide current conditions , and go over details of your trip with you. Please note that validation is not required in the offseasons (summer and winter): see "Important Dates" below for more information.
Cedar Mesa backpacking permits and Cedar Mesa / Comb Ridge Day Hiking Passes can be obtained through their respective recreation.gov pages. Visit those pages to purchase permits.
Need to Know
General Rules & Regulations
- By accepting this permit, I certify that I have watched the Cedar Mesa Visit With Respect video .
- Maximum group size is 12 people.
- Cultural Resources including structures, artifacts, and all other remains, whether at an archaeological site or isolated, must not be disturbed. Moving or disturbing cultural artifacts from any location is a violation of federal law.
- Access to the interior corridor of Moon House is limited to four people at any one time. Visitors are not allowed to enter the Moon Room and other interior rooms within Moon House. Entering any area marked as closed to entry, or physically closed to entry is a violation of stipulations.
- Camping is not allowed in the Moon House Recreation Management Zone (RMZ), incl uding the trailhead area. Pack it in, Pack it out for all trash and garbage.
- Fires are prohibited in the Moon House RMZ including the trailhead area. Camp stoves (e.g., canister or liquid fuel) are not allowed.
- Washing, bathing, or swimming is not permitted in or near natural water sources such as springs, streams, and potholes.
- Using rock-climbing equipment to access archaeological sites is not allowed. Using a safety rope as an aid along a hiking route is permissible.
- Bicycles and motorized vehicles must stay on designated roads.
- Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAS)/drones are prohibited in the canyons of Cedar Mesa.
- Human waste must be packed out. Plan ahead
- Pets are not permitted in Moon House RMZ.
- The permit holder will be held legally and financially responsible for historical, archaeological, cultural, or ecological values damaged, destroyed, or removed by trip participants.
- The permit holder assumes all risk due to acts of nature, including but not limited to hazard trees, flash floods, wildfire, inclement weather, and difficult trail conditions.
- Permits for commercial and organized groups (including universities, schools, scouts, and clubs) or pack stock use must be obtained in advance from the BLM Monticello Field Office. These permits are not available at Kane Gulch Ranger Station, Recreation.gov, or trailheads.
Your Safety
- Access to Moon House on Snow Flat Road requires a high clearance vehicle. The road may become impassable when wet. Read the road description in the Visiting Moon House Guide for more information.
- The trail has sections of moderate exposure, loose sand, and steep slickrock. Review the Visiting Moon House Guide to ensure that the trail difficulty is right for your group.
- The Cedar Mesa area within Bears Ears National Monument can be challenging for inexperienced hikers. There are no constructed trails nor directional signs along the hiking routes and water availability varies depending on the canyon and the time of year. Stop at the Kane Gulch Ranger Station (open seasonally) to check conditions before you hike. You may need to pack in all of your drinking water. Please bring the water you will need for your trip prior to arriving at the ranger station.
- Acts of nature present risks which the permit holder assumes. Permits and permit fees are no guarantee against such acts of nature.
Respecting Cultural Resources
- The canyons of Cedar Mesa and Bears Ears National Monument were once home to a remarkable prehistoric people. The remnants of these past residents, including their dwellings, artifacts, petroglyphs and pictographs, are what make the area unique. Unintentional damage caused by visitors is slowly destroying these remnants. Please familiarize yourself with Visit With Respect principles and enjoy these archaeological sites in a manner that will help preserve them for future generations of visitors.
- The use of rock-climbing equipment to access archaeological sites is not allowed. Using a safety rope as an aid along a hiking route is permissible.
- The permit holder will be held legally and financially responsible for historical, archaeological, cultural, or ecological values damaged, destroyed, or removed by trip participants. Cultural artifacts, whether at an archaeological site or isolated, are not to be disturbed. Moving or disturbing cultural artifacts from any location is a violation of federal law.
Fee Policy
Recreation Fee:
Permit fees must be paid at the time the reservation is booked. The following permit fee schedule is in effect:
- Moon House day use permit - $5.00 per person/per trip
Reservation Fee:
A $6.00 non-refundable reservation fee is required for all advanced reservation permits.
Cancellation Policy
Refunds
Full refunds of per person recreation fees are available for cancellations and group size reductions made a minimum of 5 days in advance of the entry date. The reservation fee is non-refundable. There are no refunds for cancellations and group size reductions made less than 5 days before the entry date.
Changes
All changes are dependent on availability. Changes to group size may be made on this website for no additional fee (except the per person fee when adding to your group).
Contact Information
Mailing Address
PO Box 7 Monticello UT 84535
Phone Number
435-587-1500
