Round Trip Distance: 1 mile
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 6123 - 6144 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 2 hrs.
Trailhead: 42.92932, -107.61378
Fee: none
Attractions: petroglyphs, scenic geology
Castle Gardens is a unique geological area between Casper and Riverton, Wyoming where scores of petroglyphs can be found that were left hundreds of years ago by Native People that once roamed in the area. Known by the Arapahoe as Houu Neci', pronounced ho neh chee, (Holy Water) the site includes a style of petroglyphs called the Plains Indian Style of rock art created using a 4 step process that you can read about on the trailhead kiosk.
For turn-by-turn directions enter 42.92932, -107.61378 or Castle Gardens Petroglyph Site into your driving app. The turnoff to the Castle Gardens Road is 43 miles east of Riverton on US-26 and 76 miles west of Casper. After turning south onto the Castle Gardens Road continue for 14.6 miles and turn left at the Castle Gardens sign for the remaining 5 miles. Driving apps don't seem to know about the last half mile or so of the road but it is easy enough to figure out to keep driving until you get to the trailhead in this photo. If coming from Riverton your driving app might direct you to take WY 136, the Gas Hills Road, which is a good route that is slightly shorter.
After hiking past the kiosk the well built trail drops gently down the hill into Castle Gardens.
The first places that the trail passes by are areas of graffiti. When you pass through this spot they call the 'Gateway' you can find some petroglyphs on the wash side of the outcrop on the left.
Another spot that we marked has a lot of tool marks and higher on the cliff are these 2 interesting figures.
This figure looks like he might be holding a spear.
Most of the petroglyphs are found in groups, of which there are 6, that are protected by high chain link fences.
Besides some shields and a frowny face one of these photos might depict the 'Bear Emergence' mentioned on the trailhead kiosk.
Not all of the petroglyphs are behind fences as not all places are practical to build a fence.
We were wondering whether all of the hands on this figures body might represent family. There is a line from the figures uplifted hand that ties it to the arrow piercing the bighorn sheep image maybe implying that this figure who is a good hunter provides for all these others. Whatever it might mean, this figure that we affectionately call the 'Handyman' is pretty cool.
The tall figure in the middle has another figure within it that might be a woman. Where its arm on the left would be is a recurved bow with an arrow. Off to the right are what might be 2 children with a 4 legged creature beneath them. Various other faces and what looks like a plant make up most of the rest of the images.
Within one of the enclosures there are 3 shields in a row. The one on the right has a warrior head in the middle with some type of animal on each side.
The last enclosure has a cliff face that is adorned with a selection of interesting shields. They make a spectacular array of images that would have looked a lot nicer before they were pockmarked full of bullet holes.
The geology of Castle Gardens alone makes it worth the drive to visit as does the vast number of interesting Plains Indian style of rock art. We have only shown a sample of what can be found. In fact, we had to cull scores of images from the following slideshow and speed it up just to make it endurable.
If you would like to Castle Gardens for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
If you would like to Castle Gardens for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
