Archaeological Investigations of Red Butte Canyon

Humans have been intrinsically tied to the ecology of western North America for at least 14,000 years [1]. Using the archaeological and historic records, this project explores how past populations along the Wasatch Front interacted with their local environments. As the first major archaeological investigation in Red Butte Canyon, this project provides a baseline to assess prehistoric human-environment interactions, provides site-specific experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, initiates partnerships between the anthropology department, the US Forest Service and the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, and assess the cultural resources of RBC to facilitate site stewardship planning and identify any potential impacts that may require mitigation. We present here our preliminary findings of a student-led archaeological survey in Red Butte Canyon.