Triassic Wash Rock Art |

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Hiking Triassic Wash Rock Art - PriceRoadside Attraction Triassic Wash Rock Art - Price Triassic Wash Rock Art

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Overview

RATING: Easy Hike

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. North northwest wind 7 to 15 mph.

62 | 38

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 70.

70 | 35

Tue

Sunny, with a high near 71.

71 | 39

Wed

Sunny, with a high near 64.

64 | 39

Thu

Sunny, with a high near 63.

63 | 34

View Full Weather Details
SEASON: Fall, Winter, Spring (Hot in summer)
GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear
WATER: None.

Sun

Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. North northwest wind 7 to 15 mph.

62 | 38

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 70.

70 | 35

Tue

Sunny, with a high near 71.

71 | 39

Wed

Sunny, with a high near 64.

64 | 39

Thu

Sunny, with a high near 63.

63 | 34

View Full Weather Details
Intersting panel at Triassic Wash Rock

Intersting panel at Triassic Wash Rock

Though the nearby Jurassic National Monument is known for its dinosaur fossils, the road to the monument passes near an excellent rock art site. The rock art site is in what climbers call the Triassic Bouldering Area. The area is a jumble of large sandstone boulders that will keep a climber occupied for days.

Visiting the rock art panels is a short walk suitable for most. We enjoyed the rock art immensely, but also the fun of climbing and around the large boulders. This is an excellent family outing. To my very untrained eye, it appears the panels are from two time periods. One area contains more simple designs that have faded over time, while a second area contains what appear to be more recent and more complex designs.

The faded, older looking panel

The faded, older looking panel

Getting There

There are many variations to get to Jurassic National Monument. The area is a bit of a maze of county roads. The way described below is signed, but still requires paying a bit of attention as the signs can be small and widely spaced.

From Price, head south on UT-10 toward Huntington. About 10 miles south of Price, turn onto UT-155 signed Cleveland/Elmo. Follow UT-155 for about 2.3 miles to Elmo Road. Turn left onto Elmo Road.

Follow Elmo Road 1.9 miles to the town of Elmo. Once in Elmo, go south on Center Street to Main Street and turn left (east) onto Main Street. About a half mile or so after leaving Elmo, turn right on Desert Lake Drive. The road turns to dirt here but is a good road that should be passable by all vehicles unless very wet. Reset your odometer as you turn off Main Street.

The road heads south, passing the Desert Lake WMA. Though there are many side roads through this section, stay on the main road. It heads south, travels along the west side of the WMA, then turns and heads east. At 3.5 miles a major junction is reached.

Go right (south) at the junction at 3.5 miles, it is signed Jurassic National Monument. Follow the road south 1.5 miles (5 miles total from the paved road) to a junction. Go left here, signed Jurassic National Monument and reset your odometer. The road descends off the ridge. At 1.3 miles, a side track leaves on the right. This is the first side road that leaves. on the right, and happens just after a wash. This is the trailhead for low clearance vehicles.

Abby posing for the camera.

Abby posing for the camera.

Ruby checking out a tunnel

Ruby checking out a tunnel

Route

Rock Art and Historic Site Etiquette
Rock art and historic sites are fragile, non-renewable cultural resources that, once damaged, can never be replaced. To ensure they are protected, please:
  • Avoid Touching the Petroglyphs: Look and observe, BUT DO NOT TOUCH!
  • Stay on the Trails: Stay on the most used trails when visiting sites, and don't create new trails or trample vegetation.
  • Photography and Sketching is Allowed: Do not introduce any foreign substance to enhance the carved and pecked images for photographic or drawing purposes. Altering, defacing, or damaging the petroglyphs is against the law -- even if the damage is unintentional.
  • Pets: Keep pets on a leash and clean up after them.
  • Artifacts: If you happen to come across sherds (broken pottery) or lithics (flakes of stone tools), leave them where you see them. Once they are moved or removed, a piece of the past is forever lost.

The road from the main road is generally suitable for high clearance vehicles, but it is a short easy walk for those without high clearance. Described below as a walk from the main road, though most of it can be driven.

Follow the track south, after 0.3 miles it reaches a wash. The road splits, with one fork crossing the wash, one going up the wash. Go left, up the wash following the road. A road leaves the wash on the right shortly, stay in the wash bottom, another road immediately leaves on the left and the wash divides. Stay right in the main wash. In just a minute or two, house sized boulders are on the left. This is where the panels reside, with a separate panel on the west side of the wash a minute or two beyond at a primitive campsite. This separate panel is the one that, to me at least, appears to be older than the rest.

Continuing up the wash are some lovely sections of boulders to climb on and around.

Return the same way.


Maps

Route / 1.25 miles / Elevation Range 5,593 - 5,650 ft.
Printable Maps:
Turn Off

12S 521530mE 4354523mN

N39° 20' 24" W110° 45' 01"

Wash

12S 521317mE 4354006mN

N39° 20' 07" W110° 45' 10"

Right - Main Wash

12S 521451mE 4353867mN

N39° 20' 02" W110° 45' 04"

Panel

12S 521538mE 4353711mN

N39° 19' 57" W110° 45' 00"

Panel 2

12S 521552mE 4353725mN

N39° 19' 58" W110° 44' 60"

Panel 3

12S 521499mE 4353679mN

N39° 19' 56" W110° 45' 02"

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