Round Trip Distance: 100 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 5184 - 5396 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead: 39.24983, -111.83396
Fee: none
Attractions: petroglyphs
The Mellor Canyon Petroglyphs are located north of Gunnison, Utah. The site includes several anthropomorphic figures with facial features and maybe a dozen or more other images.
For turn-by-turn directions enter 39.24983, -111.83396 into your driving app. You will be directed about 6 miles north of Gunnison on UT-28 and then east onto the Mellor Canyon Road for 1.16 miles to where the petroglyphs will be on your left.
This portion of the Mellor Canyon Road is drive-able by most 2WD highway vehicles.
The petroglyphs are on rocks that are probably within about 20 feet of the road. To keep from missing them either measure the 1.16 miles distance from UT-28, use a GPS with our track loaded, or enter the coordinates suggested above into your driving app.
Beginning on the left the first panel of petroglyphs has an anthropomorphic image that is holding out its arms with its fingers spread. The figure is wearing a necklace and maybe earrings.
There is another anthropomorphic image that also is holding its arms out with its fingers spread. It too is wearing a necklace and has distinct facial features.
There are several faint deer and some other shapes that are hard to make out. At least one of the deer has a large set of antlers.
Further down the short outcropping cliff to the right is yet another figure wearing a necklace and displaying distinct facial features. Above its head is what might be a teepee.
The last group of images includes a zigzag line that wraps itself up in a spiral. The other images are hard to decipher but they might be either telling a story or forming a map.
