I enjoyed hiking in Snow Canyon last
weekend and we did find a very interesting panel of ancient Native
American rock art. The patterns carved into this particular rock are
unique and interesting – well worth the trouble to search it out.
After raining off and on all morning,
the precipitation stopped just before we started hiking. The sky
became partly cloudy and it was warm. The sand was damp but that did
not inhibit hiking, in fact it helped us gain footholds. It was a
very nice mid-November day.
I was chasing down a lead about a large
panel of rock art just west of The Ledges Golf Course and associated
sub division. Just south of the Ledges, a road provides access to a
right-of-way that allows hikers to move between tracts of private
property and into Snow Canyon State Park. We followed that easement
and then followed the eastern edge of the park up until we were on
the west edge of The Ledges sub division. We then hiked west to the
prominent rock where we found the ancient carvings.
This particular panel is in open
country above a steep, twisting canyon complex. On a previous trip we
had found rock art in a narrow slow down in the bottom of the canyon.
Talking to other hikers, we were told
about the rock art panel above the canyon. One hiker mentioned a cove
which he said was full of rock art, near to the slab above the
canyon. We searched in that area without finding it. That country is
big and rugged, and a cove with rock art could be difficult to find.
Still, I'm questioning its existence because I've been hiking there
for many years, talking to many people, and this one guy is the only
one who has mentioned it.
At this point I've found three panels
of rock art images in Snow Canyon. One is adjacent to the state park
campground. Find the campsite on the north edge of the campground and
look for the rock art on the cliffs adjacent to that site.
The second panel is in a very narrow
slot at the bottom of the canyon complex SW of The Ledges, on the
east side of the park.
And the final panel, the subject of
this particular excursion, is on the rim above that canyon complex.
Snow Canyon is a great winter hiking
destination. I may get back down there and poke around looking for
the mystery cove, just because it is such a great hiking area.
- Dave Webb
