Education resources
The single most useful thing a first-time visitor can do is read before driving. This page collects the resources we recommend.
Why education first
The Bears Ears region is dense with meaning that does not announce itself on the surface. Trailhead signs offer the public version of the story. The deeper version requires reading: of the archaeology, of the geology, of the contemporary tribal voices of the region. The visitor who comes prepared has a fundamentally different experience from the one who arrives cold.
Where to start with archaeology
Several accessible introductions to Ancestral Puebloan archaeology of the Colorado Plateau exist. We do not recommend specific titles here because the field changes and the best current text may not be the best text in three years. The reference librarians at the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in Blanding, and at the visitor centers of Hovenweep and Canyons of the Ancients, can point you to current recommendations.
Where to start with tribal voices
The most important reading for any visitor is material produced by the tribal nations who hold ancestral relationship with the region. The cultural offices of the Hopi Tribe, the Pueblo of Zuni, the Navajo Nation, and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe maintain public-facing educational material — articles, video, podcast appearances. Start there. Read what is offered. Where the material says “this is for our community only,” accept that.
Where to start with geology
Cedar Mesa Sandstone, the Halgaito Shale, the Rico Formation, the Honaker Trail Formation — the rocks of the region tell a 300-million-year story of seas and dunes and rivers. The Utah Geological Survey publishes accessible primers and field guides for visitors. The Geological Society of America’s regional volumes are heavier reading but rewarding.
Where to start with land management
If you want to understand the political history of the monument and the ongoing work of its management, the Bureau of Land Management’s Monticello Field Office is the public point of contact. The 2016, 2017, and 2021 presidential proclamations are public documents available through the National Archives.
Where to start with practical preparation
For the practical side of preparing a trip — what to bring, when to go, what to be careful about — start with our visitor information page. For the ethical side, start with the visiting with respect essay and its practical companion.