False Kiva facts for kids

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False Kiva cave, 2012

False Kiva stone circle in Canyonlands National Park in Utah, United States.

The False Kiva is a human-made stone circle of unknown origin in a cave in a remote area of Canyonlands National Park, which is located in U.S. state of Utah. It was closed by Canyonlands National Park rangers in early August 2018, as a result of vandalism.

It requires some hiking knowledge or special directions to find.

It has become a popular spot for photographers capturing the Southwest, offering a unique frame for the dramatic thunderstorms or clear skies beyond.

Origin

While located in a naturally occurring alcove, the name False Kiva arises from the uncertainty about the circle of stones' origins and purpose, whether it is really an authentic kiva, a location used for religious purposes.

Art

Logan, Utah artist Keith Bond was commissioned in 2006 to paint a landscape for the Senate Chamber of the Utah State Capitol. He painted False Kiva in a mural titled Ancestral Home which hangs on the western end of the ceiling above the senate floor.

A photograph of False Kiva by Wally Pacholka, entitled "A True Image of False Kiva," was featured on NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) on September 29, 2008, giving an almost otherworldly view into the Milky Way.