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Rock Shelter Butte

Rating: 
Round Trip Distance: 0.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 6354 - 6389 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead: Beef Basin Spring Rd.
Fee: none
Attractions: granary, rock shelters




Just off the Beef Basin Spring Road, northwest of Monticello, Utah there is a sandstone butte at the end of a ridge that has the remains of a granary and several rock shelters. At least one pueblo type room can also be found along the base of the butte.


After finding your way to the kiosk junction in lower House Park take the left fork toward Stanley Spring.


At the 1.5 mile point from the kiosk turn to the right at the start of the Beef Basin Loop.


A little over 400 feet later the road forks once again where the Beef Basin Spring Road branches off on the left. For reference there is a large fenced off area on the right a little past the fork.


The Beef Basin Spring Road travels mostly straight as it crosses a small rise. Near the 0.4 mile point from the last fork there is a wide spot in the road where a single vehicle can manage to park out of the way.


Just across a grassy open area the remains of a granary can be spotted beneath an overhang. Most of the rock shelters are on the opposite side from the granary.


The front part of the granary has fallen off onto the ground below.


A handful of cavities can be found as you hike around to the back side of the cliff on the same level as the granary was on the front side.


Several of the cavities and overhangs have the small remains of former walls.


Other small sections of walls are also to be found down at ground level around the base of the cliff.



The rock shelters are probably among some of the oldest ruins in the Beef Basin Area. The granary was probably constructed much later and may have even been made using some of the already gathered rocks from the other ruins. In our opinion the Beef Basin Spring Road is a good alternate route if heading to Ruin Canyon or the south side of the Beef Basin Loop. It is a good option to keep in mind when some sections of CR 104 get washed out or are temporarily impassable.

The ruins at this site will take less than an hour even if you have to drive out of your way to get there. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.