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“Bite-Size Bits of Local, National, and Global History”
Near Blanding in San Juan County, Utah — The American Mountains (Southwest)
 

Bears Ears

 
 
Bears Ears Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Duane Hall, October 11, 2010
1. Bears Ears Marker
Inscription. The two prominent buttes in the distance are called the Bears Ears. Several native American groups, including the Navajos, Utes, and Pueblos, consider this area sacred and include it in their oral traditions.

One of the more popular Navajo stories is that of Changing-Bear-Maiden, who was very beautiful and desired by many men. She would have nothing to do with them. However, Coyote, the trickster, persuaded Changing-Bear-Maiden to marry him in spite of her brothers' warning that the union would bring evil.

Changing-Bear-Maiden began to change and by winter's end her transformation into a mischievous bear was complete. Realizing that the only way to save her was to change her into another form, her brothers killed Changing-Bear-Maiden, cutting off her ears and throwing them away. They became the buttes seen today.

The Bear Ears can be seen from as far east as Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado and as far south as Monument Valley Tribal Park in Arizona. These buttes, on lands administered by Manti-La Sal National Forest, are important landmarks for travelers within the Four Corners region.

(Image Caption)
These buttes are included in the sacred geography of the Navajo people.
 
Erected by National Park Service.
 
Topics. This historical marker
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is listed in these topic lists: EnvironmentNative Americans.
 
Location. 37° 35.709′ N, 109° 59.827′ W. Marker is near Blanding, Utah, in San Juan County. Marker is on Bridge View Drive, 8 miles Visitor Center Parking Lot, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lake Powell UT 84533, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within 10 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Owachomo Bridge (approx. 1.2 miles away); Sipapu Bridge (approx. 1.4 miles away); Utah's First National Monument (approx. 1˝ miles away); Kachina Bridge (approx. 1.7 miles away); Salvation Knoll (approx. 10 miles away).
 
Also see . . .  Natural Bridges National Monument. Official National Park Service website. (Submitted on March 16, 2016.) 
 
Bears Ears Marker image. Click for full size.
Google Street View (©2016 Google), September 2014
2. Bears Ears Marker
The Bears Ears are visible in the far distance to the right of the marker
The Bears Ears image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Duane Hall, October 11, 2010
3. The Bears Ears
View to east from marker location
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 16, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 449 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos:   1, 2, 3. submitted on March 16, 2016, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.

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Mar. 18, 2024