Round Trip Distance: 0.3 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 6098 - 6111 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead: 40.78762, -108.73803
Fee: none
Attractions: petroglyphs
Irish Canyon is a scenic corridor that is located in Moffat County, Colorado, in the northwest corner of the State. County Road 10 runs through the canyon connecting US 40 in Colorado to Rock Springs, Wyoming. At the mouth of the canyon on the south end there are two boulders upon which are some Fremont style petroglyphs.
The trailhead is a little rest stop along the side of the road. For turn-by-turn directions enter 40.78762, -108.73803 into your driving app. From US 40 you will be directed to turn north onto the paved CO 318. After 41.4 miles you will then turn right onto CR 10 which is a very wide hard packed gravel road that in dry weather is almost as good as pavement. After turning onto CR 10 it is another 4.3 miles to the site.
The graveled trails to the petroglyphs are almost as good as the road.
All of the petroglyphs at each site are on a solitary boulder. The first boulder has petroglyphs on its east side and on its top.
This large figure looks a bit like a robot with its pincher type hands.
Here is a hunter shooting an elk. (We saw a lot of elk between here and Rock Springs.) Below the arrow there is a bear paw.
The top of the boulder is a little weather worn but you can still make out some good images. On the upper left corner there are two footprints walking off the top of the boulder.
The figure in the middle has an image of a 'falling man' on its chest.
To the left of that are a few more anthros and even further to the left is a grizzly paw that's not quite as easy to make out.
On the west side of the road is another nice path leading to the second site which is also a single boulder.
This boulder only has 3 or 4 images.
The largest of the images is an anthropomorphic figure that has an elk head. If you look close you can make out the long snout and an eye. I guess if the Egyptians can have a man with a jackal head then the Fremont can have one with an elk head. (I'm supposing it is an elk because that is what we saw so many of in the area.)
If you are traveling through the area there is a campground about midway through Irish Canyon. Before you enter the canyon there are a couple of side roads where you can also find primitive campsites. Just as soon as you reach the Wyoming border the road is paved once again for the rest of the way to Interstate 80.
If you would like to see the Irish Canyon Petroglyphs for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
If you would like to see the Irish Canyon Petroglyphs for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
