Saturday & Sunday, February 8-9, 2025
Although we were hoping to make it back into Nine Mile Canyon late last year, that never ended up happening so I figured it would be nice to get back into the canyon early this year and made plans for a weekend visit just a couple of days before my birthday. At least we didn’t wait another five years to return like the last time! Even though the week leading up to this trip had been unseasonably warm across the Colorado Plateau, a cold front had finally passed through the region on Friday night and dropped temperatures back to normal for this time of the year, and we saw early morning temperatures get down into the teens and single digits, but daytime temperatures were comfortable in the 40’s. Diane and I left home early on Saturday morning and then we spent most of the weekend searching for new petroglyphs in Nine Mile Canyon while also stopping to revisit sites we’ve been to before along the way. Here are some photos from our weekend exploring the world’s longest art gallery.
Long Sheep Panel
Strange Designs
Little Horned Anthro & Dog
Stick Person
Diane spotted these petroglyphs hidden behind a boulder.
We found this corncob on the ground below a nice panel of petroglyphs. It’s not something we commonly come across in this canyon.
This is an unusual petroglyph tucked away under an overhang in a corner.
The Family Panel
Spirals above the road.
Devils Playground Petroglyphs
Here’s a view over Devils Canyon from a climb up to some ruins.
Under the Boulder
Long Nose Sheep
Square Dots Panel
Spiral Tail Sheep
Spirals Panel
White Snake Alcove
Great Hunt Panel
Lichen Man
Echo Panel
Grids Site
Dots & Anthropomorphs
DONK
The next few photos were taken from the same area along a wall that was light-colored which made the petroglyphs hard to see and photograph, especially in the harsh direct light, but there were some interesting panels found here.
Faint Bear Petroglyph
This interesting figure is located at ground level behind a boulder and easy to miss.
I spotted this large petroglyph from a distance and hiked over to it for a closer look, although I still have no idea what it might be…
Maze of Antlers
Disappearing Sheep Panel
Elongated Sheep Panel
Besides the nice Curly Tail Deer on this panel, I liked the how the three figures on the left have their noses pecked around the corner.
Stick People Panel
Stick People
Another large panel of petroglyphs…
Fremont Figures
Birds Panel
The Sheephunter
Peeling Patina Sheep
Blue Lichen Elk
I like how the snake appears to be slithering down this panel.
Coyote Placing the Stars
High Dots
These nice sheep were catching the first light of the day when we arrived.
Big Red Pictograph
Horned Serpent
