North Wash Petroglyphs

Rating: 
Walking Distance: 1 mile (all sites)
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 4462 - 4502 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: Highway 95 MM26-28
Fee: none
Attractions: Petroglyphs

This post covers 3 separate petroglyph sites that are located along Highway 95 as it passes through North Wash between Hanksville and Hite, Utah. The sites are at mile markers 26.5, 27, and 27.8. They are the first of 8 sites in North Wash that include the Sandthrax Petroglyphs, Marinus Canyon Petroglyphs and the Moqi Queen Pictograph.

Each of the sites are pretty easy to find and require minimal hiking. Begin by driving 26 miles south of Hanksville on Highway 95. Just past the turnoff to Bullfrog Marina is mile marker 26. The first site is another half mile around what would be mile marker 26.5. All of the 3 sites that we are covering here are on the east side of the road.

The first site is very close to the pavement.

It has two separate panels the first of which is of some bighorn sheep.

The second panel is a mix of sheep, turkey tracks, sharpening grooves and other geometric figures.

The next site is near mile marker 27. Most of the petroglyphs at this site are on the left side of the mound of debri in the middle of the cliff with only a few bighorn on the right side.

A lot of the images look very much like the Fremont Style but a few look somewhat older.

Here is another example that is a bit more decorated. There is also one where the head looks very much like that of the Moki Queen Pictograph that is a little further down the highway by Hog Canyon.

This panel includes a bow and arrow and two figures on the right that look like classic Fremont. The patina looks identical to the other images so perhaps they are all Fremont.

The third site is just past a cattle guard and is a little more awkward to hike over to due to all the brush and a small wash.

There are quite a few interesting images that seem to have had a story to tell but unfortunately a large portion of the panel has peeled off of the cliff.

Highway 95 through North Wash is more of a scenic byway than a main thoroughfare. We didn't have any trouble pulling off the road far enough to avoid what little traffic there was. All of our photos were taken late in the afternoon when the sun was shining directly on the petroglyphs. First thing in the morning probably would have been better. It only took about an hour to visit all 3 of these sites. To visit all the rock art sites in North Wash would probably be more like 2-3 hours. It is time well spent if you happen to like rock art and find yourself in the area. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.