Round Trip Distance: 0.8 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 5295 - 5339 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: 36.97755, -112.87453
Fee: none
Attractions: petroglyphs
Rosy Canyon Site 4 is the last of 5 petroglyphs sites in Rosy Canyon northeast of Colorado City, Arizona that we have explored. Site 4 includes 2 different groups of petroglyphs plus a rock shelter.
To get there from Colorado City drive east on UT-389 and turn north onto County Highway 237. Continue for 6.7 miles to where a 4WD road departs on the left. The turnoff is just over 700 feet past the turnoff to Rosy Canyon Site 2. The 4WD road is pretty sandy, especially where it crosses a shallow wash. This is the same trailhead as Site 3.
After passing through the fence the land on the left in the middle of the canyon is private property even though it isn't posted. There doesn't seem to be a route to easily keep from crossing private property for the first hundred yards or so. The petroglyphs themselves are just inside of the Cottonwood Point Wilderness Area.
After hiking along the side of the hill for an hundred yards or so you can pick up a route that heads up the wash of the canyon on the left. From this point on you are on BLM land.
The petroglyphs are all on the right side of the canyon so once you get there all you have to do is hike along that side until you find them.
There are quite a few images at the first area where there are petroglyphs. Here you can see an interesting anthropomorphic figure standing next to a long snake.
In this panel there is another anthropomorphic figure with 4 horns, or something similar, that project vertically up to a crack in the rock.
Next along the cliff is a large Basketmaker style figure with a bird track on the left and a snake on the right.
Up higher on the cliff there is a parade of dancing figures.
The dancing figures look just like those at the Cedar Point Dancers Panel and the Men on a Bus panel that is in an area called 'The Gallery' in Utah's Lower Johns Canyon.
Further along to the right of an alcove at the head of the canyon there are more images of the same style.
These images are a little interesting. On the left is what looks like a flute player. The male figure on the right looks like it is dancing a jig.
A spiral, 2 circles, and some little snakes.
There isn't much left of the rockshelter that sits beneath a refreshingly cool overhang but it's interesting to note that it is there.
There are at least 2 more sites in Rosy Canyon that we didn't take the time to search for not having their exact location. Another area that might be worth exploring is on the west side of Cottonwood Point.
With the sites that we have labeled 1 thru 4, coupled with the Basket Site, Rosy Canyon presents a pretty fantastic venue for rock art enthusiasts.
If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
