Arizona Strip & Southern Utah Wanderings | Day 8
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Our plan for Saturday was to drive from the Snake Gulch trailhead to Bluff, Utah. We would be going through Page, AZ and making a few stops along the way. When we arrived in Bluff our plans were to search for some new rock art and then to setup camp along Comb Ridge somewhere. In the end we didn’t stick to that final plan.
Our first stop was at a large alcove containing some rock art in Catstair Canyon. The lower portion of the panel has a few large petroglyphs and some red pictographs, but is pretty well vandalized.
Lower Catstair Panel by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The higher panel is in a little better shape and has a red outlined anthropomorph and a zig-zag design. If you look closely, there are also some faint petroglyphs that are visible.
Catstair Pictographs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A view in Catstair Canyon as it cuts through The Cockscomb.
Catstair Canyon by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
We continued on to Page where we made a quick stop for some lunch, and then we drove through the Navajo Nation to Kayenta and through Monument Valley. Shortly before crossing back into Utah I stopped for this photo of Agathla Peak.
Agathla Peak by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Looking back towards Monument Valley as we continue on towards Bluff.
Leaving Monument Valley by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Before reaching Bluff, we stopped to visit a few new rock art sites. The first one was the Jump Rope Man.
Jump Rope Man by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A wider view of the full panel.
Jump Rope Man Panel by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Then we stopped by Sand Island so that we could hike to the upper sites that I’d not been to before. This was the first panel of petroglyphs we came across.
Upper Sand Island Petroglyphs by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
We found many other faint petroglyphs along the way, but most of them didn’t photograph very well. This very faint petroglyph is thought to be of a mammoth and is possibly one of the oldest petroglyphs around. Here’s some more info about it.
Sand Island Mammoth by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A line of flute players that Jared spotted before we hiked back to the Jeep.
Flute Players by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Next we visited a large boulder that contains a couple of petroglyphs of horses and deer.
Bluff Horses Boulder by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
A closer look at the highly-stylized horse.
Decorated Horse by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Before leaving town and driving north, I stopped for a photo of the Navajo Twins in silhouette at sunset.
Navajo Twins Sunset by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Once the sun was down we knew we would be in for another cold night if we camped again. Since we were only a few hours away from my home in Grand Junction we decided to just drive home and end the trip. This way I could have a day to relax before going back to work on Monday…