valley of fire, North hinterlands, short loop

This hike in Valley of Fire started at the Duck Rock trailhead and went left to the first set of pectroglyphs, then right to the wash and the second set of pectroglyphs. Then we took another wash back to the car.

The loop was 3 miles in length and had about 500 ft of elevation change.

After hiking up the closed road about a half mile we branched off to the first panel near the base of the big round rock visible from the trail.

View from the trail. The pectroglyphs are in the rocks below the pointy mountain.

 Getting closer to them. They are in the rocks just right of center.

 First panel.

A rock in front of the first panel

Whipple Yucca in bloom

Zebra tail lizard.

Catclaw Acacia in bloom.

Young Chuckwalla

Duck rock

duck rock

The second panel is at the bottom of a pour over. We had to work our way around to the left. The petroglyphs themselves are unusual in that they are not chipped into desert varnish, but are carved into light tan sandstone.

detail of the second set of pectroglyphs past the water traps in the wash.

Milkweed

On the way back to the car

Cars are just over the hill

Flower hike at Willow springs

 Cliff rose

 Mexican Bladder Sage

 The bladders close up

 Utah penstemon

Apache Plume?

Desert Eriastrum

 Hedgehog cactus

 Beavertail cactus

 Nevada Thistle

 Tidy Fleabane

 Purple sage

Desert Trumpet

nine mile canyon and Rochester panel.

The Rochester panel is south of Price UT off hwy 10, a few miles north of Emery. There is a sign on the road at the turnoff and again at the next turnoff a good dirt road.

We stayed in Price at the Quality inn Before driving to 9 Mile canyon the next day. 9 mile canyon is a 30 mile section of paved road with petroglyphs pretty much all the way. The first good concentration we saw was at Balanced rock. They are down below the rock to the left, and past the rock on another outcropping. There are also a lot scattered about on the walls, high and low just past the intersection with Harmon canyon road. 

The Great Hunt panel is the last site. It is on the right and has a sign and a place to park. Just before it is a sign for Big Bear panel on the wall on the other side (left) of the wash just opposite the parking pullout. Have to walk a little.

 Big Buffalo

Near the Harmon canyon intersection (just past at the pull off) on the high bluff on the left of the road.

The Head of Sinbad pictograph

This pictograph is along I70 at MM125, and 1.5 miles north in the middle of a tan wall of rock. You can't get there from there. You have to go to mm131 and go back west on the frontage road on the south side of the highway. That frontage road turns to dirt and veers south west to a sigh pointing to the Head of Sinbad. Turn right, go 1 mile, turn right again and find your self getting back near the expressway near MM125, When you get near the express way you will see a culvert crossing under. Head for the culvert and park there unless you have 4 wheel drive and want to drive in sand.

The pictograph area is behind a rail fence. The last section of the road leaves the track and goes across the flat grass area. The depression where the road is supposed to be is very eroded. Too much for a Subaru.

Section of the road to avoid. You could do it in a jeep, but why contribute to the erosion.

From where my car is parked the track through the grass leads directly to the pictograph.

 The internet says these are at least 3000 years old.