Round Trip Distance: 1 mile
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 4345 - 4435 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 45 mins.
Trailhead: Old highway
Fee: none
Attractions: cliff dwelling, petroglyphs
The Slanted Roof ruin is located a little south of the Wolfman Panel in the Butler Wash/Comb Ridge area near Bluff, Utah. The small cliff dwelling is tucked within an east facing alcove that is only about a half mile from the old highway and probably less than 200 yards from the Wolfman Panel, aka Emergence Panel, which makes it an alternate route to that very popular destination.
The Butler Wash Road is located about 4 miles west of the town of Bluff where it intersects with Highway 163. As you leave Bluff heading west on Highway 191 continue on Highway 163 from the intersection. where Highway 191 makes a 90 degree left hand turn to the south and Highway 163 begins. A short distance down the road you will see a turnoff on the left for the airport. At this point turn right and pass through the gate and you will be on the Butler Wash Road.
After turning onto the Butler Wash Road travel a short distance and take the first left onto the old highway. As the graveled road gets closer to the wash find a place to park out of the way.
Rather than continuing down the old highway into the wash look to the right where you can spot a large alcove down in the wash. Leave the road at this point and angle down the slickrock toward the wash.
As you get closer to the wash an old dugway will appear that provides a nice ramp down into the wash where you can pick up the obvious trail that heads upstream.
As the trail passes by the large alcove that was visible from the road you might notice that it also once had a ruin of its own. Unfortunately cattle were allowed in the wash, and as the alcove provides a prime place to shelter, what time would have eventually reduced the ruin to the cows greatly accelerated. We actually saw someone release a couple of bulls at the top of the old highway and drive them into the wash so it doesn't appear things will change any time soon.
After passing the alcove the trail climbs along the east site of the wash where after rounding the corner the the Slanted Roof alcove comes into view.
There is a good trail across from the ruin that crosses the wash and provides a nice route through the tamarisk.
Once you climb out of the wash the greasewood makes it difficult to get much closer. Since we had an adequate zoom lens we didn't even try.
The most prominent structures within the alcove are a couple of rooms that were just the right size for storage.
A few petroglyphs can be seen off to the left including these two kissing bighorn and one with a rather long neck.
