Moab Area Rock Art V

Sunday, February 27, 2011

 

Hidden Valley & Behind the Rocks

On Sunday the weather forecast called for 60% chance of snow in Moab. The same was true for Grand Junction and Moab on Saturday, so I figured they would be wrong again and I made my way over to Moab. It was a good decision because it turned out to be a perfect day for hiking……I’m glad I didn’t stay home… My destination for the day was to hike the Hidden Valley trail into the Behind the Rocks area to find some petroglyphs. This trail has been on my to-do list for a while, and now I regret not hiking it sooner. Besides being a nice hike, there were a bunch of petroglyphs to be found.

 

60% Chance of Snow
60% Chance of Snow

This is what a 60% chance of snow looks like in Hidden Valley…

 

Inside Out
Inside Out

One of the more interesting petroglyphs along the way…..a large shield-like figure with a smaller anthropomorph inside.

 

Line of Sheep Panel
Line of Sheep Panel

This panel contains the longest and straightest line of sheep I have come across so far.

 

Moab Fighting Men
Moab Fighting Men

These two figures look like they might be fighting.

 

Breaking Sheep
Breaking Sheep

As usual, there are plenty of bighorn sheep petroglyphs all around.

 

Cutouts Panel
Cutouts Panel

This line of small anthropomorphs reminds me of paper cutouts.

 

Sheep Tracks
Sheep Tracks

This bighorn has left some tracks behind.

 

Sheep Herder
Sheep Herder

It looks like the figure on the left has a line of bighorn sheep following him possibly with some dogs following behind.

 

The Maze Panel
The Maze Panel

Looking up at the Maze Panel. There are two figures here that look like they represent a maze, which would be pretty descriptive of the surrounding area.

 

Busy
Busy

A busy petroglyph panel that has a nice glow from the afternoon sun.

 

Enter the Maze
Enter the Maze

A small person next to a larger maze represents the area that this petroglyph is found in very nicely.

 

Shield Figures
Shield Figures

Looking up at some large shield-type figures surrounded by some smaller petroglyphs.

 

Follow the Flute Player
Follow the Flute Player

A line of burden bearers follow a flute player.

 

Vandalized Pictograph
Vandalized Pictograph

I found many petroglyphs throughout the day, but this was the only faint pictograph (or actually a pictoglyph since part of it is a petroglyph) I managed to find. Unfortunately, this panel was badly vandalized. The large shield-like figure at the top of the panel is outlined by a red pigment.

 

Watchtower Ruin

Sorry about the bad photo here, but I was hoping to reach Watchtower Ruin on this hike, but unfortunately I was unable to climb up to it, since I lacked the necessary climbing skills…

 

Turnaround Point

View looking back from the point I turned around and headed back down.

 

Sheep in Focus
Sheep in Focus

Selective focus on the Line of Sheep petroglyphs.

 

Wavy Horns
Wavy Horns

Bighorn sheep are a common sight in petroglyphs, but this one has long wavy horns, which is pretty unusual.

 

Seven Toes
Seven Toes

A footprint with seven toes.

 

High Panel
High Panel

After reaching the end of my hike for the day, I headed back the way I came. I spotted this panel high above that I managed to miss on my way there. Sometimes it’s good for me to walk both directions looking for rock art, because I almost always miss something the first time.

 

High Panel Up Close
High Panel Up Close

A closer look at the High Panel.

 

Inside Out Panel
Inside Out Panel

A different view of the Inside Out petroglyph panel

 

Crab, Sheep, Candle-Holder?
Crab, Sheep, Candle-Holder?

What is it? This petroglyph looks like it has the body of a bighorn sheep, claws of a crab and a candle-holder on top!

 

Hidden Valley
Hidden Valley

A view over Hidden Valley on my hike back out.

 

Like I said at the beginning, I’m glad that I did not stay home on Sunday. It was a great day for hiking, I found a lot of new rock art, and had a great time!

 

Check out my other posts in the Moab Area Rock Art Series:

Moab Area Rock Art I | Colorado River Gorge / Golf Course / Kane Creek
Moab Area Rock Art II | Kane Creek Canyon & Potash Road
Moab Area Rock Art III | Mill Creek Canyon / Kane Creek / Bartlett Panel
Moab Area Rock Art IV | The Secret Grotto & More
Moab Area Rock Art V | Hidden Valley & Behind the Rocks
Moab Area Rock Art VI | Yellow Comet Alcove
Moab Area Rock Art VII | Solstice Snake
Moab Area Rock Art VIII | Dark Angel Petroglyphs
Moab Area Rock Art IX | Mill Creek Canyon