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Kane Gulch is the most popular entrance into Grand Gulch which is the large canyon system that bisects Cedar Mesa. Cedar Mesa is the best place to find undeveloped archeological sites in wild settings and Grand Gulch offers amazing canyon-hiking and Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) explorations. Kane Gulch is the most up-canyon entry point for exploring Grand Gulch and the majority of backpack trips into Grand Gulch use the Kane Gulch trail.
Junction Ruin is probably the most visited ruin in Grand Gulch. It’s an interesting Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) site located in Grand Gulch right at the junction with Kane Gulch. Kane Gulch is the most popular access to Grand Gulch so it stands to reason that Junction Ruin the most visited ruin in the canyon. The trail to the ruin is easy and Junction Ruin is a great place to get exposed to the Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) ruins of Grand Gulch
Turkey Pen ruin is a well-known Anasazi ruin in Grand Gulch. It’s an easily accessible Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) site located a short distance down canyon from Junction Ruin. Junction Ruin gets its name because it sits at the intersection of Grand Gulch and Kane Gulch. The Kane Gulch trail provides easy access, making it easy to visit both Turkey Pen Ruin and Junction Ruin in a single-day hike. However, it’s even better if you can visit as part of a multi-day backpacking trip.
Todie Canyon ( also called Toadie Canyon) is an east-side tributary to Grand Gulch that provides a lesser-used access into Grand Gulch. The canyon is quite short, only about 1 3/4 miles in length. The trail down Todie Canyon into Grand Gulch is a pretty tough hike and this is not a popular route into Grand Gulch. However, it’s a great place to hike along the rims of both Todie Canyon and Grand Gulch.
Sheiks Canyon is a short, steep side canyon that enters Grand Gulch between Todie and Bullet Canyons. Sheiks Canyon is not shown on the maps or described in the Cedar Mesa Travel Guide that the BLM provides to visitors. However, it’s fairly well-used access into Grand Gulch. It’s mostly used by day hikers seeking the well-known Green Mask rock art panel.