Opportunities for solitude and a wilderness recreation experience are outstanding due to the topographic and vegetative screening from the human imprints on surrounding lands. The potential for observation of the Anasazi heritage adds immeasurably to the experience. Rugged terrain offers challenging hiking, climbing, and backpacking. Hunting is a major use of the area. Camping sites are plentiful, both on the canyon rims and on the canyon floor.
Natural overlooks provide excellent vantage points for observation and photography.
Deep formations in the vicinity have been drilled for carbon dioxide. The leases are located primarily in the northern end of the area. Due to the natural inaccessibility of the canyon floor and the relatively narrow nature of the area's boundary, slant drilling into formations underlying the area is possible from outside the wilderness boundaries, providing access to these resources while protecting the fragile ecology of the canyons themselves. Slant drilling has been used by several oil and gas operators in the area to avoid roads and their potential destruction of archaeological sites. There has been no production of uranium from the area due to the low-grade deposits present.