Exploring The Cave Towers Ruins Near Blanding, Utah

Cave Towers is an Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) site dating back to 1250 CE that consists of seven structures sitting atop the rim of Mule Canyon near Blanding, Utah.

The site is located on the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration land which is found within Bears Ears National Monument.

The site is known by many other names including: Cave Canyon Towers Ruins, Mule Canyon Towers, and Seven Tower Ruins.

There is no sign for the site on the road so below are some directions so you can easily find the place.

The turn off for the site can be found on the south side of Hwy 95 halfway between mile marker 102 and 103. The dirt road has a gate you must open and please be sure to close it once you’re through.

A short distance from the gate you will come to the trailhead for the historical site. This road may be rough for a low clearance vehicle. You can always park at the gate and walk to the trailhead if you’re worried.

There is also a 4WD only road from the trailhead that will take you to the towers, but it’s rough and does require a high clearance vehicle. The walk from the trailhead to the towers though is an easy 1/2 mile hike.

The hike from the trailhead will take you through a lush desert landscape as you travel over sand and slickrock. You’ll eventually come to a gate in a wood fence that gives you access to the towers. You should be able to see a couple of towers as soon as you enter the site.

The decaying towers will be located on your left and right so be sure to check out both sides of the canyon. Walk to the west rim of the canyon and you will be able to spot additional ruins tucked into the alcoves along the east wall of the canyon.

A pair of binoculars or a zoom lens on your camera will allow you to be able to see these structures more clearly. Some of them are pretty far down the canyon.

There are a total of seven towers along the rim of the canyon. Now we explored the area for a while and were only able to find five towers in total. I think a couple of the towers have completely crumbled over time and we just didn’t recognize them as such.

A few of the structures they consider towers are nothing more, in my opinion, than crumbling piles of rubble. Others are in really good shape though, considering their age, and were very cool.

Remember that these are historical archeological structures so please refrain from touching, leaning, standing or climbing on any of them. You can get really close to a couple for a thorough examination, but no touchy!

Pets are allowed on this trail as well, but please pick up after them and don’t allow them access to the historical structures.

Since the towers are located right on the rim of the canyon the views from here are absolutely incredible. I spent as much time admiring the views as I did checking out the towers during our visit.

If old ruins are your thing this area has a ton to check out. Butler Wash Ruins, House on Fire Ruins, and the Mule Canyon Interpretive Site are all on the same stretch of road within minutes of each other. All these sites are unique in there own way and worth checking out.

If you’re in the area I recommend taking a morning (it’s cooler) and checking out the Cave Towers and other ruins in the area. They are quick trips full of history and some amazing landscapes.