West Water Ruins near Blanding (5 Kiva Pueblo)

West Water Ruin sits across the canyon.

West Water Ruin (called 5 Kiva Ruin on the sign) is a small open Native America dwelling located just outside Blanding, Utah. Take your binoculars and you can study this ruin closely as it sits across a steep narrow canyon, which makes it a bit difficult to reach.

This ruin is unprotected and has been used by locals for years, so the site is not like others you see in Hovenweep or Mesa Verde. Still, there is something to visiting a "natural" site that is unmaintained and unmonitored.

We didn't venture over to the site, but it can easily be spotted from across the canyon. To find the West Water Ruin, follow 1600 South to the west in Blanding. It passes the Nation's Natural Bridge and continues on to the ruin, just a mile or two outside of Blanding.

We thought the stairs were interesting in this site.