Aztec Butte and the Native American granaries

Wide view of Aztec Butte in Canyonlands.
Aztec Butte in Canyonlands. 

Climbing up the Aztec Butte was all fine until we reached the last edge. 

View towards the butte summit.
The final section of the climb. 

The incline there was steep, no good grabbing points, and the cliff was too close for comfort. 

Hiking the Aztec Butte trail.
C hiking the sloped trail 

C played chicken this time, but the truth is that 15 feet more in elevation didn't make a big difference in the views.

C going down from Aztec Butte.
The way down - she ended the hike with knee pain.

Then we went to the smaller butte. 

The smaller butte with the ancient granaries.
The butte with the ancient structures. 

There I dropped from the top to the two small ancient indigenous structures built in a sheltered alcove. 

The narrow dropping point from the mesa.
The dropping point from the top of the mesa.

Slopes access to the granaries.
The sloped access to the granaries. 

One of the ancient granaries under a cliff.
The first granary.

These granaries are over 900 years old. The small door was closed with a slab and sealed with clay and mud. 

The second granary under the cliff.
The second structure.

The small door of the granary.
The access point 

They were well hidden and looked to me like a safe cache of food protected by a hard access. 

Not many things in the world last a millennium. Don't you think? 

(Posted from the phone.) 

Check this page to license our photos.

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