Note: you will need a high clearance vehicle to get to the hogan.  Due to the cultural importance and how some people are sadly prone to vandalism, I have kept this location private for Insider Members only.

A while ago I was looking on Google Earth to scout out possible locations to explore in the future.  I found a bunch of these little circles that seemed to be made out of wood logs all over this particular area.  In fact, there appears to be five others.

On a recent trip, we set out to southeastern Utah to check out lots of different things.  This circular structure was at the top of my list since it was the most adventurous!   I had no idea if this was just some piles of logs, a fallen tree, or what we suspected to be an actual Navajo hogan.  A hogan is a traditional Navajo dwelling.  These dwellings face east to welcome the rising sun and to bring about good fortune.  They are typically made of out wood, mud, and dirt and are excellent in retaining heat in the winter and staying cool in the summer.

To get to this hogan we hiked up a small hill and saw it immediately in the distance.  Right when we saw it in person we knew it was an old structure and not just a pile of wood or a fallen tree.  I wouldn’t date this more than a few hundred years old.  There aren’t any hints at who lived here and it’s possible that it was originally a Navajo dwelling and then some homesteaders used it after it was deserted.  Who knows!

We could see old tin cans, bottles, and broken pieces of glass scattered around.  This dwelling had a great vantage point in all directions. 

The logs that were used for the structure were laid out in a circular pattern.  It’s unclear what the roof would have been made out of (mud?).  It was strange to be here where people were living probably hundreds of years ago.  This is a very desolate area and it makes you wonder why they chose to live in this spot.

If you do make it to this location, please be respectful and do not take or move any of the relics.  Just take pictures and enjoy it!