ATV riding in Bears Ears: Comb Ridge and River House Ruin

Navigate red rock canyons and ancient ruins from behind the wheel

A half-day ATV ride through Bears Ears National Monument in southeastern Utah, where you operate a 6-passenger UTV Ranger 1000 across Comb Ridge and visit the River House Ruin, an Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwelling. The guide is live and speaks English. Children from age 6 are welcome. Goggles, water and snacks are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Bears Ears and Comb Ridge

• Visit Bears Ears National Monument
• See Hole in the Rock formation
• View San Juan River scenery
• Observe Comb Ridge geology

The experience

You'll spend four hours riding through Bears Ears, a 1.35-million-acre national monument named for two dramatic buttes that rise above the desert floor. The route takes you across Comb Ridge, a 70-mile geological formation of layered sandstone that rises sharply from the surrounding landscape, its jagged profile carved by millions of years of tectonic activity and erosion. The ridge sits on the Colorado Plateau and frames views of high mesas, sandstone cliffs and deep canyons that stretch across the remote terrain.

The UTV is a 6-passenger Ranger 1000, and you operate it yourself, not a passenger watching a guide drive. You'll navigate to the River House Ruin, a well-preserved cliff dwelling built by the Ancestral Puebloans between roughly 600 and 1300 AD. The site includes multi-room structures and a kiva, a ceremonial round chamber that offers insight into how the people who lived there organized their community and built their homes. Rock art and artifacts scattered across the site tell the story of daily life in the canyon. Along the way, the route passes near Hole in the Rock, a natural opening in the rock formation that early pioneers carved into a passageway for their wagons, and follows views of the San Juan River Gorge with its dramatic canyon walls.

A live English-speaking guide leads the ride and explains the geology, archaeology and history as you move through the landscape. Goggles, bottled water and snacks are provided. Bring a day bag with sun protection, a reusable water bottle, comfortable shoes and a lightweight jacket. The ride is suitable for all fitness levels, though it is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health, and pregnant travelers should not participate.

What’s included

• Goggles.
• bottled water and snacks.
• 6-passenger UTV Ranger 1000 that you operate.
• live English-speaking guide.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 13:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (6 to 15 years) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Wild Expeditions

Is this one for you?Small groups stay under six riders, so you're not in a large convoy. The four-hour half-day window fits a free afternoon or a first-time ATV experience without committing a full day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 15 years). Under 6: they can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I ride an ATV in Bears Ears if I've never done it before?

Yes. The half-day ride suits all fitness levels and does not require prior ATV experience. Children from age 6 are welcome, and a live guide leads the group through the route.

What is the River House Ruin and why is it on this route?

River House Ruin is an Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwelling dating back 600 to 1300 years, with multi-room structures, a ceremonial kiva and rock art that reveal how the people who built it lived. It sits within Bears Ears and is a key stop on the ride.

How long does the ATV ride take?

The half-day tour runs four hours, including time riding across Comb Ridge, visiting the ruin and viewing the San Juan River Gorge and Hole in the Rock.

What should I bring on the ride?

Bring a small day bag with sun protection (hat, sunscreen, sunglasses), a reusable water bottle, comfortable shoes and a lightweight jacket. Goggles, bottled water and snacks are provided. If you have dietary restrictions, note them in the special comments section when booking.

What is Comb Ridge and what makes it geologically distinctive?

Comb Ridge is a 70-mile-long ridge on the Colorado Plateau with a jagged, comb-like appearance. Its layered sandstone formations were tilted at steep angles by tectonic activity millions of years ago and have been shaped by erosion into the dramatic profile you see today.