ottonwood Wash is a major canyon system that was used by ancient peoples and remains an important and sacred area for Native Americans today. It holds many Ancestral Puebloan dwelling sites, rock art panels, great houses and great kivas for respectful visitation – including the northernmost Chaco Canyon Great House in Utah. The Navajo and White Mesa Ute (who still own major land inholdings here) both consider the area an important contemporary hunting and gathering ground. Along with a myriad of cultural sites, Cottonwood Wash contains beautiful natural features, broad views, and nourishing seeps and springs.
Tank Mesa rests above and west of the southern portion of Cottonwood Wash. Threatened by oil drilling, this mesa holds countless archaeological sites and the best preserved ancient road segment in southeastern Utah.
