Edge of the Cedars State Park
Utah
The Edge of the Cedars State Park is the site of an Anasazi ruin and modern museum complex operated by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation.
General Information
Seasons / Hours
- Edge of the Cedars State Park is open year round from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm (6:00 pm during summer months) and is closed on holidays.
Rates & Fees
- Day-use Fee:
Visitor Center
- Programs/Activities
Edge of the Cedars museum houses an excellent collection of Anasazi pottery and other exceptional ancient Indian artifacts. Additional exhibits display cultural materials and information about Navajo and Utah Indians.
Learn about the annual Four Corners Indian Arts Festival the first weekend of May, workshops, tours, and children's activities.- Food/Supplies
- None in the park. Restaurants, service stations, and grocery stores are available in Blanding.
- Accessibility
Visitor Center/Museum
Climate, Geography, Setting
Setting
Blanding is located in San Juan County of southeastern Utah, 21 miles south of Monticello on US Route 191. The community is surrounded by wheat fields and pasture with easy access to mountain recreation. Edge of the Cedars State Park is located in Blanding and houses an extensive collection of ancient Pueblo artifacts. Blanding is also home to the Dinosaur Museum where visitors can see what dinosaurs really looked like. Blanding is also the gateway to the 100-mile Trail of the Ancients.
Climate
While the Four Corners area has a pleasant climate with low humidity and warm temperatures, at an elevation of more than 6,000 feet Blanding is cooler year round. Average low temperatures in summer and winter are 54° F and 20° F respectively. Average high temperatures in summer and winter are 58° F and 39° F respectively. Average rainfall is 13.4 inches; winters are usually cold with an average snowfall of 11.3 inches.
Getting There
Edge of the Cedars State Park is located on the northwest edge of Blanding, Utah and is easily accessible by following the directional signs through the town.
Description
Edge of The Cedars State Park is the site of a pre-Colombian Pueblo Indian ruin and a modern museum, which is the regional archaeological repository for southeast Utah. Remains of the Ancestral Pueblo Indian Village with its unique architectural structures is a testament to the Indian civilization that once flourished in southeastern Utah.
It was established as a state historical monument in 1974 and the museum opened it's doors in December of 1978. The museum is now the area repository for archaeological artifacts found on public lands in southeast Utah. The museum includes two main exhibit halls, a special exhibit area, a gift shop and an auditorium.
The ruins at Edge of the Cedars State Park were listed on the Utah State Register of Historic Places in 1970 and on the National Register in 1971. The partially restored ruins represent the dwelling site of Anasazi Indians who inhabited this area from about 700 AD to about 1220 AD. A wooden pole ladder allows you enter a reconstructed kiva, which are important underground ceremonial rooms.
Things To Do
The museum features two display halls, an auditorium, meeting and conference facilities. The history of San Juan County, from the ancient Anasazi, through the Navajo and Ute Indians, and Euro-American Settlers, is presented through displays and exhibits. The museum also contains one of the largest interpreted Anasazi Pottery collections in the Southwest.
Edge of the Cedar Indian Ruin was an agricultural village consisting of six habitation and ceremonial complexes. This site was occupied from 700 to 1200 AD during the Pueblo I-III periods. The excavated areas provide a good view of Anasazi architecture, especially ceremonial rooms (kivas). One kiva has been fully excavated and stabilized and may be entered by visitors.
Camping & Lodging
There is no camping or lodging in the park. For information on area camping and lodging, contact:
Blanding Visitors Center
12 North Grayson
Blanding, UT 84511
435-678-3662
Resources & Nearby Attractions
Resources
- Related Books & Gifts - Trading Post
- The Anasazi of the Desert Southwest
- Native American Desert Peoples
- Outdoor Recreation in the Desert Southwest
- The Anasazi Ruins of Grand Gulch, Utah
- Hunting Dinosaurs in the Desert Southwest
Cities & Towns
- Blanding, Utah
- Cortez, Colorado: 82 miles east.
- Mexican Hat, Utah: 53 miles south.
- Moab, Utah: 75 miles north.
- Monticello, Utah: 21 miles north.
- Farmington, New Mexico: 128 miles southeast.
Parks & Monuments
- Arches National Park: 78 miles north.
- Canyonlands National Park (Needles District): 83 miles northwest.
- Edge of the Cedars State Park: in Blanding.
- Goosenecks State Park: 51 miles southwest.
- Hovenweep National Monument: 39 miles southeast.
- Monument Valley Tribal Park: 72 miles southwest.
- Natural Bridges National Monument: 41 miles west.
- Newspaper Rock State Park: 47 miles northwest.
Recreation & Wilderness Areas
- Glen Canyon National Recreation Area/Lake Powell
- Hite Marina: 82 miles northwest.
- Hall's Crossing: 80 miles west.
- Recapture Reservoir: 4 miles north.
- Grand Gulch Primitive Area: 43 miles west.
- Manti-La Sal National Forest: 7 miles north.
- Navajo Indian Reservation: 20 miles south.
Historic & Points of Interest
- Bicentennial Scenic Byway 95: 5 miles south.
- The Dinosaur Museum: in Blanding.
- Butler Wash Ruin: 10 miles west.
- Mule Canyon Ruin: 40 miles west.
- Trail of the Ancients (see above)
-- Bob Katz
- Edge of the Cedars State Park
660 West 400 North
Blanding, Utah 84511-0788
435-678-2238
Share this page on Facebook:
DesertUSA Newsletter -- We send articles on hiking, camping and places to explore, as well as animals, wildflower reports, plant information and much more. Sign up below or read more about the DesertUSA newsletter here. (It's Free.)
The Desert Environment
The North American Deserts
Desert Geological Terms
