I scrambled up a short path, climbing the rocks to a narrow ledge behind a juniper bush, stopping quickly in my tracks as I saw the panel in the rock. There in front of me was a 1,000 year old work of manmade art – a story etched into the blackened redrock, with images as vivid as the day they were carved.
Traveling around Utah, we have unique opportunities to learn about the history of our region in the native rock art panels that dot our state. Drawings include the stone canyon walls along the Colorado River in Moab, Newspaper Rock near Canyonlands Needles, the Rochester Panel along I-70. Just a few hours from Park City, Nine Mile Canyon offers what many feel is the world’s longest art gallery, over 20 miles of rock carvings etched into canyon walls.
If you’ve ever driven US6 to Moab, you’ve passed the signs in Wellington and probably said to yourself, ‘we should take a Sunday Drive with the family to Nine Mile Canyon some time.’
The canyon is remote, carving a pathway through the West Tavaputs Plateau between Wellington and Myton, but the roadway is fully paved. The drive is packed with an estimated 1,000 rock art sites. Some are marked, and some you need to figure out on your own. Take a few hours and get out of the car at the sites. While many are roadside, some are a short scramble up rocks.
Most of the panels feature petroglyphs, where ancient artists carved their images into the rock. But there are, too, a few examples of pictographs, where colored dye or paint still stains the rock today.
What’s especially fascinating about Nine Mile Canyon compared to other Utah sites, is that the drive paints a progressive picture of time ranging well over a thousand years. The principal rock art sites emanated from the Fremont period, perhaps around 850-1,200 A.D. But you will also see drawings attributed to the early Utes, maybe 16th century. There are still-standing remnants of modern day settlers from the 19th century and ranches operating in the 1900s, with lots of abandoned homesteads, rusted farm implements and old trucks.
The petroglyphs depict the artists’ documentation of life a thousand years ago. Some are easy to understand. Kids, see who can count the most sheep. Some are more difficult. Is that really an astronaut? And what is the meaning of the grid of dots?
When viewing rock art, what is most important is taking your time. Stand in front of a panel and absorb each object. As a family, debate the meanings you see. Use your imagination and let your mind roll back through time to imagine the scenes being depicted. Put each etching into your memory, then compare them when you view the next panel a mile down the road.
Nine Mile Canyon is about exploring. Get out of the car! Stop at the roadside sites and get close. Take the walk through Daddy Canyon (half mile) and hike up to the Fremont Village. Wander across the dry creek bed to see the Big Buffalo panel.
After a few hours of searching out rock panels, the finale doesn’t disappoint. Standing in front of the Great Hunt Panel, I’m mesmerized by the scene – literally counting sheep. In just a day, you can transport your mind back to those who were the caretakers of our land many centuries ago.
The Details
Overview: Plan on about a 10-hour day from Park City. I like to drive US6 to Wellington for the most orderly start, then loop back through Myton and Duchesne. It’s all fully paved except for a seven-mile gravel stretch between Nine Mile Canyon and Myton. While it’s an easy day trip, there is a campground at Nine Mile Ranch. For more information and detailed site maps, there’s a wealth of information on the web.
Fun Stuff: You’ll see thousand year old rock art, but also old homesteads, cars and trucks – lots of cool stuff for the kids. Plan on a few short hikes.
Dining: No restaurants in Nine Mile Canyon so pack a lunch for a picnic, or stop at Miller’s Travel Center in Wellington. On your way out, the Outback Steakhouse in Myton is a fantastic spot for a late lunch or dinner (closed Sundays).
Next Week: So, if you think 1,000-year petroglyphs are old, next week we’ll head up to Fossil Butte National Monument in Wyoming, looking back 50 million years and more as we learn about paleontology and geology – how our earth was formed.
About Tom Kelly
A lifelong traveler, Tom Kelly has visited over 100 countries on six continents. But some of his best adventures have been in Utah and the Intermountain West, which he has made his home for 34 years.