Round Trip Distance: 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 5365 - 5373 feet
Cellphone: 0 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: Legend Rock
Fee: none
Attractions: petroglyphs
The Legend Rock State Archeological Site is located about 30 miles northwest of Thermopolis, Wyoming. The site includes hundreds of petroglyphs that are spread out along the cliff with an interpretive trail traveling below them. Some of the petroglyphs are of the Dinwoody Tradition. Trail brochures are available that provide interesting information as you walk along from station to station.
For turn-by-turn directions enter Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site into your driving app. More than one route might be presented. The easiest to follow is to take WY 120 from Thermopolis for just over 21 miles and turn left onto the Upper Cottonwood Creek Road. From there it is just over 8 miles to the site.
The short trail begins near the Visitor Center which was closed on the day that we were at the site.
The interpretive trail is divided into 15 numbered stations which coincide with the trail brochure. Be sure to stay behind the fence and as the sign mentions watch out for rattlesnakes. (We didn't see any rattlesnakes or the unique tracks that they make which are different from other snakes.)
A zoom lens is helpful for taking photos although we noticed people getting excellent pictures zooming in using just their cellphones.
Here is an image of a warrior bearing a shield.
At station 2 there are some Dinwoody Tradition anthromorphs.
This panel includes a thunderbird and two phallic male figures.
A horned figure with a headdress.
More figures of the Dinwoody Tradition style.
This is believed to be a person connected to the rock (spirit) world.
Interesting collection of horned headdresses on figures of the Dinwoody Tradition.
The heads float above the legs like balloons on a string.
The person within the other person seems to suggest a consanguineous relationship. Something like Ork the son of Ork.
Several bison and elk or deer.
These figures are thought to be "little people" that moved between our world and the rock (spirit) world.
A concentric circle figure of the Dinwoody Tradition.
A Dinwoody figure with extra legs and feet.
More images can be found in the following slideshow although even from that a large number had to be culled and the slides sped up to shorten the presentation.
The trail brochure with its incites from local Shoshone and Crow people really adds to the overall experience at Legend Rock.
If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
