Round Trip Distance: 100 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 6096 - 6102 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 15 mins.
Trailhead: FR 423 MM 1.2
Fee: none
Attractions: rock art
The Nail Canyon Rock Art Site is located in the Kaibab National Forest about 24 miles south of Fredonia, Arizona. Both pictograph (painted) and petroglyph (pecked) images can be found on the rock face that is a mear 40 feet from the side of the road. The images are of the same style and time period as those that are nearby in Snake Gulch.
To get there from Fredonia drive south on Forest Service Road 22 for 23 miles. The pavement ends after 21 miles where it changes to a maintained gravel road. Turn right onto FSR 423 and continue for another 1.2 miles.
The section of Forest Service Road 423 between the turnoff and the rock art site is normally passable by 2wd passenger vehicles during good weather. Due to recent fires in the area flash flooding can cause temporary closures.
Near the 1.2 mile point there is a parking area on the left side of the road.
The Forest Service has placed a kiosk with some interesting facts about the images.
The pictographs are believed to have been created during the Basketmaker period between 2300 and 1200 years ago.
Some of the pictographs are mostly faded but several still stand out quite well.
The petroglyphs are believed to have been made before any of the painted images.
Bighorn sheep of various sizes are a predominant theme among the pecked images.
It looks like a red spear or arrow was added to this bighorn.
