MAY 2009 & DECEMBER 2012
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| HOUSE ON FIRE RUINS |
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| HOUSE ON FIRE RUINS |
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| INACCESSIBLE RUINS ALONG THE SIDE OF MULE CANYON |
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| A MINIATURE MUSEUM LOCATED IN AN ALCOVE |
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| LOOKING DOWN INTO MULE CANYON FROM ABOVE |
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| RUINS LOCATED HIGH ABOVE MULE CANYON |
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| GRANARY LOCATED NEAR THE HOUSE ON FIRE RUINS |
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| TALL CONIFERS LOCATED ABOUT THREE MILES DOWN MULE CANYON |
The south fork of Mule Canyon is a pleasant hike which follows a stream up a red rock canyon filled with ruins. The canyon becomes more beautiful the further up you go, and the ruins appear to increase in frequency, making it very difficult to turn around.
I had originally planned to walk up the canyon for an hour-and-a-half before turning around, but it took three hours before I could finally convince myself to turn back. In those three hours of walking, I think I only made it three or four miles up the canyon. I left the trail several times to inspect ruins located up on the sides of the canyon walls. The BLM has intentionally left the ruins in this canyon unmarked to reduce impact, so you will need to keep your eyes peeled. I found five ruin sites on my way up, and didn't see any of them on my way down once I had stopped looking for them.
To reach the trailhead you will turn north onto an unmarked dirt road along the 95, about a half-mile east of the Mule Canyon Ruins sign. This can be confusing. But after you turn onto the dirt road you will see a BLM sign asking you to pay $2. Drive another .3 miles to the bottom of a hill where you will park along the side of the road and head west into the South Fork of Mule Canyon. Probably the most famous ruin on this hike is the House on Fire Ruin which is located towards the beginning of the hike.
