Over Under Ruins
Around Blanding - Utah
Note: On unpaved roads, road conditions can change constantly. Therefore we strongly recommend to check the road conditions before each trip. Information is available at the Colorado NM Visitor Center. Before reported, during or shortly after rain or snowfall, we advise against driving on unpaved roads.
Coordinates:
Turnoff from Highway 96: Latitude 37.562803; Longitude -109.583588.
Trailhead: Latitude 37.651046; Longitude -109.671327
Our visits: So far 1 visit in May 2023
Anfahrt - Elk Mountain Road 228
Description: The access is via Elk Mountain Rd No.228, which branches off Highway 96 to the north about 10mi west of Blanding. Initially paved, the road turns into a very good dirt road after a few miles, which you follow for another 10.6mi until you reach the trailhead for the hike. The ride up to here was no problem. You do have to cross a small river twice, but as the riverbed is very flat and rocky, this was not a problem during our visit in May 2023. Along the way, several roads branch off the Elk Mountain Road. To avoid getting lost, we recommend loading the route onto your GPS. There is plenty of space to park your car at the trailhead. With an off-road vehicle, you could also drive a few hundred feet further from here. However, the road becomes very narrow and rough.
Our rating: During our visit, we mainly concentrated on the Over Under Ruins, but there was also plenty to discover on the drive. With a little more time, it's definitely worth stopping here a few times and exploring the surroundings. As the road was in very good condition and the surroundings were beautiful, we really enjoyed the drive.
Over Under Ruins
Description: From the trailhead, it is only a very short walk until you get your first glimpse of the Over Under ruins. First you walk down a small, sandy dirt road for about 0.3mi before you reach a large white sandstone plateau. On this plateau, you walk downhill in a straight line for another 0.3mi before reaching a drop-off. From here you can see the Over Under Ruins opposite under a cliff overhang. From here we walked along the rim of the canyon to get a better view. With a little climbing, it would also be possible to climb down to the ruins. We contented ourselves with the view from above.
Our rating: We really enjoyed our visit here. Not only did we like the two somewhat unusual ruins that were built in two niches over under each other, but also loved the seclusion of the place. As you can hardly really enjoy nature in peace anywhere in the popular and well-known places in the southwest, you are probably completely alone here.
