After getting some info from the Monticello Visitor Center, I now had a game plan. Part of this day plan included a hike to Butler Wash that let to some amazing Cliff Dwellings. Who even KNEW that Utah has Cliff Dwellings? Not this gal, nor her husband, but we could just be ill informed... This hike is only about 45 minutes away from Monticello.

We arrived at the trailhead, ran to the biffy bathrooms, packed up the kids, some water, snacks and we were off!

Butler Wash is only a half mile hike one way, so we took our time.

We stopped, checked out the plants, flowers and lots of lizards!

The trail is clearly marked, so we didn't really have a chance of getting lost.

Can you find us?

I couldn't believe how VAST the canyon was. It was SUPER steep and just dropped right off. Down at the bottom of the cliff was like a little hidden oasis. No wonder they settled in this cliff.

Left side view of the canyon wash area. Right side is where all the cliff dwelling were.

We decided to do some exploring on the rocks and wash nearby.

It was only a little nerve wrecking. Apparently, toddlers have no depth perception, nor care about their lives, or dropping off into the abyss.

It's a good thing we had a few extra adults to help watch our tiny children.

Just to the right of the outlook there was another wash area.

After a little exploring we found a natural bridge that led down into the wash.

It was here that I decided to keep a little tradition. My husbands family would go to Zion National Park for Easter to roll eggs and have an Easter egg hunt.

I decided that we should keep that tradition alive in this little wash.

(Don't worry, I just took a picture of this egg by this, I didn't actually let the kids go near it.)

After our little egg hunt, we decided to explore bit further, so we could get closer to the Cliff Dwellings. (We kept the kids a safe distance from the ledges.)

This photo below was taken right above the cliff dwellings. It's kind of cool to think that someone could walk right on top of the dwellings and never know they were there.

You can barely see my husband on the opposite side of us.

Can you see us in this photo? It kind of gives you a perspective of how big this whole area was.

Sadly, we had much to see and little time, so we bribed the kids into getting in their packs.

Who's had Pine Nuts before?

Sadly, these we all dried out.

Don't forget to stop at the box at the trail!

This VW Van just happened to meet us at the parking lot. It's no secret I wish The Salt Project had an orange one!

Butler Wash, you are one epic SHORT hike.