Rock Art of the San Rafael Swell XX | Saturday & Sunday, January 11-12, 2025
It’s been a few years since I spent any time exploring the canyons of the San Rafael Reef and I’ve been feeling the need to get back this winter, so I left home early on Saturday morning, drove west into Utah, and then spent the entire weekend on the Reef. Not only did I hike and explore a few unnamed canyons that have carved their way into the Reef within the San Rafael Reef Wilderness which were completely new to me, but I also revisited a few places that I hadn’t been back to in almost fifteen years, so it was nice mix of old and new. Of course, I also saw plenty of rock art throughout the weekend, too. These are some photos from my weekend on the San Rafael Reef.
Hiking through a lovely little side canyon on Saturday morning.
The view from Ekker Pass.
I explored a couple different shallow side canyons on the San Rafael Reef this weekend.
Nice light in this little shelter.
This was a little slot canyon I walked through.
North Temple Wash Narrows
Temple Wash
Arrowhead Arch
Temple Mountain
The remains of a Stone Cabin below Temple Mountain.
I wandered around this shallow sandstone canyon late on Saturday afternoon until just before sunset. There were a few clouds in the sky just over the crest of the Reef when I first started hiking, but they didn’t stick around for too long.
Chunky Hoodoo
Moonrise
On Sunday morning I hiked up to Wild Horse Window at dawn to watch the sunrise. I haven’t been back here since 2010 and it was nice to revisit early this morning.
Wild Horse Sunrise
Wild Horse Window
Wild Horse Window at Sunrise
Eye of Sinbad
After leaving Wild Horse Window I hiked into another unnamed canyon and followed this frozen wash to a big frozen pool.
Frozen Pool
There were four of these concrete tanks nearby.
North Fork of Iron Wash
Drilling Derrick
There are some great colors on this part of the Reef.
Rock Art of the San Rafael Reef
As usual, I visited a number of rock art sites while I was exploring the San Rafael Reef this weekend. Some of them were new to me and some where return visits.
High Alcove Panel
Sheep Shaman
Big Anthropomorph
Look closely and you might be able to pick out the many bighorn sheep carved into this wall.
The following two photos are from a small petroglyph panel I stumbled upon.
High Faded Panel
Although I try to avoid using Dstretch to bring out the details in pictograph panels, a few of the sites I saw this weekend were very faded.
Barnes Panel
Dstretch of the Barnes Panel.
Here’s an unusual pair of pictographs- the snake-like figure on the right seems to be furry or something…
Little Red Pictograph
Man & Dog Panel
Disappearing Panel
Even Dstretch had some trouble bringing out the details in this very faded panel.
Little Pictograph Cove
Here’s one last Barrier Canyon Style pictograph that was in terrible light while I was there.
Dstretch brings out some very interesting details in this panel.
