Hiking to Petroglyphs

[Riverkilt]

Over the line in Utah there's this side canyon of the Paria River Canyon with petroglyphs and pictographs. Few go there and its not written up in the tourist books. Hiked there today to finally take some pics of this beautiful little canyon and the petroglyphs.



This is the mouth of the little canyon. Wearing Dress Gordon today - USA Kilts semi-trad



There's a small cave by the petroglyphs...with smoke on the ceiling. No clue if the Anasazi left it...usually petroglyphs around here are dated from 800 to 1200 AD by scientists...



This is a mix of pictograph (painted) and petroglyphs (carved out of the rock) you may have to stare a bit to see the petros. Look sort of lower right in the pic.


This panel is laying flat on a large rock just in front of the cave. No clue if it was on the wall and later fell off right- side- up, or if its been flat like this for eons and the Anasazi carved it flat. This is the lower part.



Here's the top part of the flat panel. Looks like deer or antelope. Its well weathered since its exposed to the wind and rain in the canyon.



After soaking up the petroglyphs explored on up the canyon.



Finally came to the canyonhead. Lots and lots of critter caves and critter sign in the sand. Mostly saw a lot of lizards and birds and a cottontail. "Man walks among us, be still be still."

After hiking out drove down House Rock Valley Road from North to South. Have put this off for the 11 years I've been here and now I'm kicking myself because the north half of the trip was very very beautiful.



Going from memory of what a friend told me tried to find a big petroglyph panel just over the border on the Arizona side. Stopped for lunch in Marble Canyon on the way home and bought the current guide book and was close - but no cigar. An excuse for another trip.

Beautiful day for a kilted trip through some beautiful country.

[Riverkilt]

My hiking friend just sent her pics. To give some perspective to the flat rock with petroglyphs on it the rock directly in front of me here is that rock.



Notice it actually forms a "roof" between two other rocks where an Anasazi could get out of the rain.

[Bugbear]

Graffiti of the Ancient Ones.

[Riverkilt]

Forgot. We also stopped at the Condor Release Area off of House Rock Valley Road. Got to see a huge condor flying off towards the cliffs behind the sign.



They hang out there where all the white is from their poop (very top left of pic). The actual release is done on top of the cliffs. Watched one a year or so ago. they chum in the other condors with meat - but also get all the vultures, ravens, and eagles. Like a feeding frenzie or a Hitchcock movie.

This is such a cool sign since it shows the size of a condor compared to an eagle and a hawk. Us humans have a reach about the same size of the eagle's wingspan.

Never mistake seeing a condor around here - they are huge - couldn't be any other bird.

[GrainReaper]

Well documented good sir! I have been to several petroglyphs down here in the valley, my favorites being along the way to the upper woodpecker trail while four wheeling.

It always brings to focus our time on earth, those drawings were made loooong ago by a person simply wishing to document a hunt. I get a chill thinking of the connection to that person so long ago as I relive that hunt through their eyes.

[English Bloke]

Excellent Ron!! Absolutely ace! Thanks for bringing those to us.

[Tartan Tess]

Ah, I can smell the canyon Ron. Thank you, thank you. Beautiful area.

[gary meakin]

Excellent pictures! (and I love the hat)

[cruiser348]

Another memorable journey while seated on the couch. Has me itching for my next chance to visit a few pictographs and pectoglyphs not too far from me. Sadly, being in a much damper climate they aren't as well preserved and in some cases are in much less isolated and beautiful surroundings.

[cessna152towser]

Fabulous pics Ron.
Fascinating history.
Magnificent scenery.