We found our thin Florida blood exposed to a different experience, temperatures dropped to low 40's in the daytime and low 30's at night. But the strangest of all experiences was it was snowing, our park is at 8000 feet elevation and high enough for snow to fall. Instead of making long trips we toured locally and we were surprised that Utah's parks are a tribute to Native American history, going back as far as 1000AD. Around each corner is something different, a different view or historical site, hidden in the mountains in valleys in every direction we went. We were amazed to see structures build by the Indians over 1000 years ago still standing.
Edge of Cedars State Park
 |
| Edge of Cedars is a State Park, which is also a research center for Indian Artifacts found throughout the area. |
 |
| A short hike from the center were ruins said to have been inhabited between 900 and 1100 AD |
 |
| Sue exploring the kivas, which is a circular room built underground of the structure. |
 |
| You accessed kivas from upper living area by ladder. |
 |
| A kivas was a room used for spiritual ceremonies or religious rituals by the Pueblo people. |
 |
| The research center displays of many items that were found and restored were displayed. This items were made by local Indians 800 - 1100 years ago. They are beautiful and in remarkable good conditiona. |
 |
| Most of this structure were still not fully excavated this structure is believed to appear like the drawing. |
 |
| Inside the kivas or ceremony area. |
 |
| Believe it or not this is central heating for kivas |
Butler Wash Ruins
 |
| It is surprising that if you travel down a little dirt road to seemingly nowhere you can find more history in the State of Utah. We found these cliff dwellings just by taking a side road on a road trip. |
 |
| Pueblo Indians lived in these cliff dwellings around 1100 AD |
 |
| No one knows why they abandoned them and moved on. |
 |
| Maybe drought, over population, or eroding resources, or warring neighbors caused them to move on to other areas. |
 |
| These "communities" are hidden through out the area |
 |
| A tribute to their masonry skills that they still stand almost a thousand years later. |