State: Utah
Location: Canyonlands National Park
Length, Round Trip: 2.2 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 6100 feet
Maximum Elevation: 6325 feet
Elevation Change: 225 feet
Best Season: Spring, Fall
Difficulty: Easy
Usage: Heavy
Anasazi Indians are said to have left some of the Petroglyuphs here
Trail Information
Before 1300 A. D., there were many Anasazi Indians living in the area protected by Canyonlands National Park. They generally lived in the canyons below the mesas where there was more abundant water. But they also made frequent trips to the mesa tops to gather food. One of the best places to see the remnants of these prehistoric people is on Aztec Butte, where the Anasazi Indians built a number of granaries for storing the food they collected.
The Aztec Butte Trail heads just over one mile to the northeast of Upheaval Dome Road. The trail to Aztec Butte begins at an elevation of 6,100 feet in Willow Flat. It ascends slowly at first, then more steeply over the slickrock, as it climbs Aztec Butte a slickrock dome at the head of Trail Canyon. Once on the top you will see several trails, which can cause some confusion trying to decide which one to follow. There is one ruin on the southeastern side of the hill and several more just under the rim on the northern side.
About halfway back to the trailhead you will see a secondary spur trail on the right leading to a small hill west of the larger butte. Be sure to explore this trail before returning to your car to see two more well preserved granaries.
Directions
From Island in the Sky Visitor Center:
Drive south on Utah 313 approximately for about 7.25 miles to the junction of Main Island Road and Upheaval Dome Road. Bear right at this junction and drive 0.7 miles, past the access road to Willow Flat Campground, to the parking area for Aztec Butte Trail.
