Nine Mile the Third

I had planned on camping at Cliff Dweller Flat and hiking Eardley Canyon this weekend, but a 30% chance of rain scared me off. The long section of slot canyon in Eardley is no place to be during a storm given its huge drainage area. Instead, I slept in late at home and on Saturday morning made up my mind to hit Nine Mile Canyon once again. There were several sites I wanted to visit: some I’d seen from a distance on my last trip, some I’d gleaned from the internet, and others I learned of from a friend. At the very first site I hiked up to I encountered a small rattlesnake–I heard it before I saw it. The dogs had run past it twice before I realized what the sound was because from a distance it sounded more like an insect. I took the dogs down to the Jeep then hiked alone back up the talus slope to check out the petroglyphs. Funny–the main figure at this panel was a large snake.

A small midget faded rattlesnake at the first rock art site I visited
A small midget faded rattlesnake at the first rock art site I visited


Snake and other petroglyphs
Snake and other petroglyphs


Tethered sheep petroglyph that seems to be a common theme in Nine Mile Canyon
Tethered sheep petroglyph that seems to be a common theme in Nine Mile Canyon


Big feet
Big feet


The next site was a very short distance down the road and there were quite a few good petroglyphs there. Many of them were obscured by mud or patina, though their original artistry was still evident.

Large, horned human figure
Large, horned human figure


Shield figure and sheep
Shield figure and sheep


Mud-covered petroglyph
Mud-covered petroglyph


Mud-covered petroglyph with life-sized hands
Mud-covered petroglyph with life-sized hands


High petroglyphs
High petroglyphs


Figures holding sticks and shields
Figures holding sticks and shields


Two shields
Two shields


Large, weathered petroglyph
Large, weathered petroglyph


I passed up on hiking to a few sites that I saw and just photographed them from the road on the way to my next destination. The next stop held a few pit houses and some great petroglyphs. My favorite was a large elk that had some lichen growing in its peck marks.

High, distant petroglyphs photographed from the road
High, distant petroglyphs photographed from the road


Petroglyphs on private property near Argyle Canyon
Petroglyphs on private property near Argyle Canyon


Pig Head Rock
Pig Head Rock


Semi-circular alcove with petroglyphs very high above the canyon floor
Semi-circular alcove with petroglyphs very high above the canyon floor


Pit house remnants
Pit house remnants


Side canyon
Side canyon


Abstract figure
Abstract figure


Two snakes
Two snakes


Snake and bison(?)
Snake and bison(?)


Sheep with pronounced hooves
Sheep with pronounced hooves


Fingers, toes, and fairy dust
Fingers, toes, and fairy dust


Large elk
Large elk


Lichen growing in the peck marks in the elk’s body
Lichen growing in the peck marks in the elk's body


Snake and canine(?)
Snake and canine(?)


Sheep with funky feet
Sheep with funky feet


Human figure behind a large stone slab
Human figure behind a large stone slab


Again, I stopped for some panels that I noticed from the road. I finally found the Santa and Reindeer Panel that was impossibly high on a cliff, though I think I figured out how to get up close to it–something for another trip! I also scrambled up to some granaries and wonderful white snake pictographs that I spotted during my last trip.

Lots of dots
Lots of dots


An interesting panel, but heavy winds and rain kept me from getting a closer look
An interesting panel, but heavy winds and rain kept me from getting a closer look


Santa and his reindeer
Santa and his reindeer


Dots and wavy line
Dots and wavy line


Pit house remains below some granaries
Pit house remains below some granaries


Remains of two granaries
Remains of two granaries


High granary
High granary


Pit house remains
Pit house remains


High alove with white snake pictographs
High alove with white snake pictographs


White snake pictographs
White snake pictographs


My last stop was at the Family Panel. I had been ridiculously close to it last time but didn’t spot it then. This time I had some info from a friend that helped me find it. The dogs were tired of being cooped up in the Jeep–luckily some clouds had moved in and made it possible for me to leave them there safely–and I drove home while consciously trying not to spot more rock art.

Horned spiral snake
Horned spiral snake


Figures near the spiral snake
Figures near the spiral snake


Family Panel
Family Panel


Pictograph near a Boulder
Pictograph near a Boulder


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7 thoughts on “Nine Mile the Third

  1. I continue to be amazed at your pics & you blogs . Love, love, the petroglyphs …thanks for sharing them!

  2. Beautiful photos! You really are good at capturing the aspects of Utah I really enjoy. Thanks again for sharing your adventures!

  3. I’m an old guy who’s gotten over a lot of hard hurdles in my life. Though I’ve not seen that particular panel w/ the snake, I’m a virtual, and sometimes in-person, explorer of the area. That exact horned spiral snake in Nine Mile Canyon has become a sort of archetype of “hope” for me. I’ve been a long time looking for a good shot of the spiral snake that I can draw for my first and only tattoo (across an old chemo scar). Thank you for the opportunity to see such beautiful works of art.

    Kind regards,
    Old Michael (from Tennessee)

    1. Thanks for the comment, Michael! I’ll send you an e-mail with the location of that spiral snake petroglyph–hopefully you’ll be able to see it in person someday.

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