Night Skies & Cliff Dwellings: Bears Ears Backcountry with KMAC Guides

National Park After Dark / KMAC Guides Bears Ears Trip is a six-day backcountry expedition into Cedar Mesa and Bears Ears National Monument, beginning and ending in Moab, Utah. Designed for small groups (up to 14), this trip sets a backcountry base camp near Arch Canyon and moves into a concentrated sequence of canyons, cliff dwellings, and rock art that rank among the West's most significant in-situ cultural sites. Each day focuses on a different landscape: Arch Canyon's narrow sandstone passages, Butler Wash's roadside ruins and sheltered pictographs, the steep crest and views from Comb Ridge, and Fish Mouth Canyon with its compact chambers and talus slopes. The itinerary builds to longer routes—Road Canyon and Citadel hikes that can reach 7–12 miles with exposed sections, and a cross-country approach to Moon House and McCloyd Canyon that includes a guided rappel above the Clamshell. Geologically, you move across Cedar Mesa sandstone and along Comb Ridge, a striking monocline that lifts layers into sheer scarps and provides panoramic ridgeline views. Cultural context is central. Guides emphasize reverence and Leave No Trace around ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings and rock art; Cedar Mesa is noted for a very high concentration of in-situ Native American artifacts. Evenings at base camp or in Moab after the trip press the other edge of the experience: amplified stargazing, storytelling around the fire, and a playful UFO-watch under some of the darkest skies in the region. During daytime traverses you'll pass pinyon-juniper pockets, sagebrush flats, and abrupt sandstone ledges where desert grasses cling between cracks; keep an eye for red-tailed hawks riding thermals, bighorn or mule deer along waterlines. Guides provide instruction on minimal-impact camping, backcountry sanitation, and group cooking rhythms—meals are handled, so expect hearty, camp-style dinners and hot morning coffee. Moon House access is permit-dependent, and certain routes demand brief rope-assisted moves; guides will split groups by comfort and skill so each traveler can push farther without risking fragile archaeological features. Logistics are simple on the surface: meet at the Hampton Inn, Moab UT, with optional Salt Lake City airport pick up. KMAC Guides handles food and camp routines, letting participants focus on hiking, photography, and learning. The group splits when routes demand alternate difficulty, so less-experienced hikers can take easier approaches while stronger hikers push to summits and ridgelines. Why book this trip? It pairs rigorous desert hiking and light technical moves with deep cultural interpretation and one-of-a-kind night sky experiences—an uncommon combination in a landscape that rewards quiet attention. For travelers based in Moab, or arriving through Salt Lake City, this trip is a concentrated, guide-led way to see Cedar Mesa’s highlights responsibly and to sleep under skies that make modern city lights feel distant.