Round Trip Distance: 1.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 6014 - 6280 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: 37.06532, -112.65211
Fee: none
Attractions: pictographs
The Indian Canyon Pictographs are located near Kanab, Utah in the Moquith Mountain Wilderness Study Area. Dating back to around 400 A.D., in an alcove high above a branch of Indian Canyon, are found scores of multi-colored, red, white, yellow, and black pictographs that depict the messages and beliefs of the Basketmaker Era people that once inhabited the canyon. A well built trail leads visitors over the cliffs to the alcove where a viewing platform provides close examination of the images.
At present, driving apps only have enough information on the roads to get you as far as Sand Spring. Due to deep sand it takes a 4WD vehicle to get even that far. From Sand Spring it is another 3.2 miles of 4WD roads that require a medium to high clearance vehicle. The kiosk at the trailhead shows a round trip distance of 1.5 miles with an elevation change of 1700 feet. We found it to be more like 1 mile round trip with an elevation change of 170 feet but make of that what you will.
The trail starts out across the top of the mesa passing a sign that reminds visitors to respect our past and not do anything that will cause harm.
As the trail drops down from the mesa to lower benches you can expect some moderate scrambling down the uneven terrain.
Parts of the trail along the edge of the cliff that previously had a lot of exposure now have a sturdy fence to protect hikers and add a huge level of comfort and ease.
Once the trail reaches the level of the alcove it passes through somewhat of a pleasant wonderland where it is more naturally protected on its steep side by a thick growth of brush and trees.
A well built viewing platform that allows visitors to better see the pictographs has replaced the old chain link fence.
Viewing the images from the platform feels a little like being in a museum.
Across the top there is along row of faces that appear to have amiable expressions.
This iconic little figure is actually floating between the heads of 2 larger white figures with headdresses and either red earrings or red clasps on their braided hair. It appears that moisture is interacting with salt and slowly ruining the images.
These two yellow-green figures each have a foot on the head of another white figure that has a golden looking headdress.
Hidden in the shadowy recess on the right side of the alcove is a large white figure with a few smaller companions. Multiple other figures to the left are quickly fading away including a large yellow figure of the same size that is barely visible.
Here is another prominent little red figure.
Here is a white figure with a 5 feathered headdress and red dangling earrings or hair ties. Calling those feathers might be a stereotype but on the various images it is interesting that they vary in numbers.
This figure with exaggerated hands and feet appears to be stepping forward or perhaps running.
This image is slowly being overtaken by the slowly dissolving rock. It would be interesting to see time lapse photos taken over the years to estimate the speed of the destruction.
Today we would call a white and yellow couple interracial. Back then the colors probably didn't represent race. A Ute guide once told me that sometimes color indicated male or female.
Three amigos. They appear to have linked arms.
Here is another mixed colored pair where the yellow figure appears to be female.
A red headdress and earrings on a yellow body.
These three figures are all the way down next to the ground. The two outside figures have three feathered headdresses while the center figure has none. Perhaps the number of feathers implied a relative age where the fewer the feathers the younger the person.
