Nine Mile Canyon | Wellington

Roadside Attraction Nine Mile Canyon - Wellington Roadside Attraction Nine Mile Canyon

Wellington

Overview

RATING: Roadside and Easy Hikes
LENGTH: 1+ days
MAPS: MINNIE MAUD CREEK EAST, UT; WOOD CANYON, UT; CURRANT CANYON, UT; COWBOY BENCH, UT; PINNACLE CANYON, UT

Sat

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny. High near 68, with temperatures falling to around 66 in the afternoon. West southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

68 | 50

Sun

A chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. West southwest wind 2 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

71 | 49

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 71.

71 | 50

Tue

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

70 | 49

Wed

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

69 | 48

View Full Weather Details
SEASON: Spring, Summer, Fall
GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear
WATER: None.

Sat

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Partly sunny. High near 68, with temperatures falling to around 66 in the afternoon. West southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

68 | 50

Sun

A chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 71. West southwest wind 2 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

71 | 49

Mon

Sunny, with a high near 71.

71 | 50

Tue

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70.

70 | 49

Wed

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 69.

69 | 48

View Full Weather Details

Nine Mile Canyon is known as the world's longest art gallery. The canyon is about 40 miles long but became named Nine Mile Canyon when F. M. Bishop on Powell’s expedition to the area did a nine-mile triangulation drawing he named Nine Mile Creek. For rock art enthusiasts, this is an absolute top of the list place to visit. The canyon is home to hundreds of rock art panels, as well as granaries, and other Native American sites. It is an astonishing place to visit.

With more than 1,000 cataloged rock art sites, the sheer volume of imagery is staggering. Driving the canyon road, it’s easy to miss panels tucked behind cottonwoods or perched high on sandstone walls. Each trip reveals something new: a figure you hadn’t noticed, a spiral pattern suddenly catching the light, or a faint outline of an ancient dwelling. Nine Mile Canyon remains not just a corridor of history, but a place of discovery and wonder for every traveler who passes through.

I've visited many times over the years and see new panels or intricacies I have missed on previous visits every time I visit.

History
Nine Mile Canyon is often called the "world’s longest art gallery," and for good reason. Its cliffs and boulders are etched with thousands of petroglyphs and pictographs that trace centuries of human history. The story begins with the Fremont people, who occupied the canyon from about 950 to 1250 AD. Unlike purely nomadic cultures, the Fremont developed semi-permanent villages, farmed corn, beans, and squash, and engineered small-scale irrigation systems that used Nine Mile Creek to water their crops. Their rock art - abstract designs, hunting scenes, and depictions of animals and people - still covers the canyon walls today, offering a window into their beliefs and daily lives.

By the late 1200s, the Fremont disappeared from the region. Archaeologists still debate whether they migrated, assimilated into other groups, or were displaced. What is clear is that by the 1500s and 1600s, the Shoshoni, Paiute, and especially the Ute peoples were active in the canyon. The Utes left their own distinctive rock art, often more dynamic in style. Notably, some panels show horses - animals introduced to the Americas by Europeans in the 1600s - signaling that these carvings were created long after the Fremont.

The first confirmed Euro-American visitor to Nine Mile Canyon was S. Groesbeck, who carved his name into the rock on August 19, 1867. While his inscription survives as the earliest dated evidence, it is highly likely that fur trappers, explorers, and perhaps members of the Domínguez–Escalante Expedition passed nearby in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

A major turning point came in 1886, when Buffalo Soldiers of the 9th Cavalry constructed a wagon road through Nine Mile Canyon to connect Fort Duchesne with the rail hub at Price. This new route opened the canyon to greater settlement, bringing ranchers, farmers, and homesteaders. By 1905, the town of Harper had formed, with a school, post office, and as many as 190 residents at its peak. Like many frontier towns, Harper’s prosperity was short-lived, and by the 1920s it was largely abandoned, leaving behind foundations and fading memories.

Today, Nine Mile Canyon is a place of intersections: ranching, tourism, and energy development. Ranchers still graze livestock in the canyon, while oil and gas operations dot the rim and valley floor. Conflicts over access have occasionally flared between private landowners and visitors eager to see the rock art. In response, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) negotiated land swaps that increased public access to many key cultural sites while preserving ranching operations elsewhere.

Notes on visiting:

  • Though many people visit for a day, if you enjoy rock art, it is a wonderful place to spend a couple of days.
  • The Nine Mile Ranch in the canyon bottom is the only lodging in the canyon. It offers cabins and a campground.
  • There is no camping allowed on public lands in Nine Mile Canyon. If camping, you will need to drive out of the canyon to camp.
  • Have plenty of gas, water, and supplies. There are no services in the canyon.
  • I highly recommend bringing binoculars.
  • Visiting in the winter (if there is not heavy snow on the ground), is a lovely time to visit.

If you have limited time....

While I recommend a full day, or more, when visiting the canyon, many people have limited time. Here would be my recommendation if you only have a 1/2 day or so to visit:

Stop 1: First Panel

  • Just a short drive into the canyon, this site gives a great introduction to Fremont rock art.

Stop 2: Daddy Canyon Complex (Allow 30–45 minutes)

  • One of the best pullouts, with trails leading to multiple panels and alcoves.
  • Includes impressive Fremont anthropomorphs, animal figures, and a shaded canyon feel.

Stop 3: Great Hunt Panel (Allow 15-30 minutes)

  • The most famous rock art in Nine Mile Canyon.
  • A well-marked pullout and short trail lead to a massive panel depicting hunters and bighorn sheep.

Stop 4: (time permitting) Balanced Rock and/or Big Buffalo Panel

  • Two other iconic sites, Big Buffalo Panel features one of the canyon’s largest buffalo petroglyphs.
  • Balanced Rock is one of my favorites as well.

Getting There

Nine Mile Cayon is reached from either Myton or Wellington. Starting from Wellington is the most common and what is described here. From Wellington, travel east on US-191 (Main Street). On the east end of Wellington, about 2 miles from the main town of Wellington is a Cheveron Station on the left.

There is an informational sign at the Cheveron for Nine Mile Canyon. The road to Nine Mile begins south of the Cheveron as Soldier Creek Road. Reset your odometer at the junction of US-191 and Soldier Creek Road, and head north on Soldier Creek Road. Nine Mile Canyon is well signed, with the first site being about 20 miles from the 191/Soldier Creek Junction.

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 numbers below are mile markers, with 0 being the mile marker at US-191/Soldier Creek Rd where you reset your odometer. A few of the mile markers are missing, but most are in place. Mile markers seemed off when I visited, so mileage posted are from the nearest mile post to minimize error. Using GPS and the map are useful for double checking you are in the correct spot. 

20.45 - First Panel

20.45 - First Panel

20.45 - Side canyon on left. (Brundage Cove) The first panel of Nine Mile Canyon is 100 feet down the road on the left up the steep bank, somewhat hidden by trees. (12S 540848E 4401548N / 39°45'46"N 110°31'23"W)
21.6 - Minnie Maud Creek (12S 541959E 4402916N / 39°46'31"N 110°30'36"W)
24 -Nine Mile Ranch - This ranch, on the right side of the road, offers camping, showers, and cabins. It is the only lodging in or relatively near Nine Mile Canyon. They are (as of 2020), open all year. http://9mileranch.com/ (12S 545546E 4403075N / 39°46'35"N 110°28'05"W)
24.2 - Nine Mile Ranch Second Entrance (12S 545849E 4402981N / 39°46'32"N 110°27'53"W)
26.7 - First Large Panel

26.7 - First Large Panel

26.7 - First Panel (signed 26.4). Parking on the right. There are many petroglyphs at various levels here. (12S 549246E 4403481N / 39°46'47"N 110°25'30"W)
27.7 - Cottonwood Glen Day Area

27.7 - Cottonwood Glen Day Area

27.7 - Cottonwood Glen Day Area - This stop, on the right side of the road, has restrooms and a picnic area. The day-use area is the site where Don Johnstun and his family initially homesteaded in 1896. The log home is not the original one built, but still quite old.  (12S 550430E 4404274N / 39°47'13"N 110°24'40"W)
29.4 - Long neck!

29.4 - Long neck!

29.4 - Men with shields.

29.4 - Men with shields.

29.4 - Panel up under a ledge. One of my favorites, with very long necked sheep and figures that are holding shields. (12S 552500E 4405517N / 39°47'53"N 110°23'12"W)
30.2 - Horse and deer or elk?

30.2 - Horse and deer or elk?

30.2 - Baby sheep?

30.2 - Baby sheep?

30.2 Sheep and Baby sheep in context.

30.2 Sheep and Baby sheep in context.

30.2 - Park just after the trees on the left. The panel is up in the cliff band above the trees. One appears to be a sheep with a baby sheep under it, to the right of the sheep 100 feet or so are what appear to be horses. (12S 553249E 4406276N / 39°48'17"N 110°22'41"W)
30.6

30.6

30.6 - Small panel on the left. (12S 553846E 4406010N / 39°48'08"N 110°22'16"W)
Harper

Harper

31 - Harper - Now signed No Trespassing, Harper was once the community center for those living in Nine Mile Canyon. The small community boasted a Post Office and 13 room hotel that burned down. Now a few dilapidated buildings are all that remain of this once thriving little community. (12S 554072E 4405792N / 39°48'01"N 110°22'06"W)
31.1 - Small panel with a person leading a horse.

31.1 - Small panel with a person leading a horse.

31.1 - Small panel with a person leading a horse. (12S 554455E 4405870N / 39°48'04"N 110°21'50"W)
31.8 - Argyle Canyon Jct (12S 555389E 4406145N / 39°48'13"N 110°21'11"W)
Very small panel about 1/2 mile up Argyle Canyon

Very small panel about 1/2 mile up Argyle Canyon

Argyle Canyon - 0.5 - There is a very small panel 1/2 mile up Argyle Canyon on the right. (12S 554965E 4406560N / 39°48'26"N 110°21'28"W)
32.4

32.4

32.4 - Small pullout on the left. Good rock art just before and after the pullout. (12S 556151E 4405749N / 39°47'59"N 110°20'39"W)
32.475 - Balanced Rock / Pig Head Rock

32.475 - Balanced Rock / Pig Head Rock

Just past Balanced Rock

Just past Balanced Rock

32.475

32.475

32.475 - Amazing petroglyph

32.475 - Amazing petroglyph

32.475 - Balanced Rock / Pig Head Rock - One of my favorite features. Balanced Rock is visible on the left side of the road. There is a small panel on the west side of Balanced Rock at its base, however, just past the Balanced Rock are many excellent panels on the low cliffs above the road. Be sure to walk about 200 feet past Balanced Rock to find the petroglyphs up on the cliff faces to the left. Parking just past Balanced Rock at a pullout. (12S 556286E 4405790N / 39°48'01"N 110°20'33"W)
32.6

32.6

32.6 - Pullout on the left. An excellent horned snake and many dots. Not far above the road. (12S 556385E 4405937N / 39°48'06"N 110°20'29"W)
33.1 - Stone house at sunset

33.1 - Stone house at sunset

33.1 - Stone house on the right and old building on the left. No trespassing, but interesting to see from the road. This is referred to as Winn Rock House after its original resident Dennis Winn. (12S 556423E 4406779N / 39°48'33"N 110°20'27"W)
33.6 - Many panels at Harmon Junction

33.6 - Many panels at Harmon Junction

33.6 - Harmon Junction

33.6 - Harmon Junction

33.6 - Harmon Junction. Park just after the junction on the right. Across and above the road is a long cliff band with many petroglyphs. The panels span a fair distance. (12S 557277E 4406610N / 39°48'27"N 110°19'51"W)
35 - Owl Panel

35 - Owl Panel

35 - Owl Panel - Excellent bear print.

35 - Owl Panel - Excellent bear print.

35 - Owl Panel - Just past a building on the right is a short side road to a dirt parking area on the left. This is the owl panel, one of my favorites. Park in the parking area and follow a social trail. The trail crosses the wash and heads north to a rock face toward the back of the canyon. It is less than a 5 minute walk to a great panel. The bear claw on this panel is one of my favorites. (12S 558855E 4407671N / 39°49'01"N 110°18'44"W)
35.2 - Snake Panel

35.2 - Snake Panel

35.2 - Snake Panel - A worn social trail climbs up to an interesting panel with many geometric and anthropomorphic figures. It is worth the walk up to view it closely. (12S 559158E 4407601N / 39°48'59"N 110°18'32"W)
35.5  - A warrior?

35.5 - A warrior?

35.5 - Interesting figure with a line above it.

35.5 - Interesting figure with a line above it.

35.5 - There is a patina cliff band near the skyline. From the road a series of diamond shapes can just be made out. This is a steep, loose hike to reach the base, but there are many great figures on this section of rock. It includes one of the longest lines I have seen. (12S 559651E 4407544N / 39°48'57"N 110°18'11"W)
35.6

35.6

35.6 - Panel up and right of a small tree. Binoculars from the road are probably the easiest way to see it. (12S 559825E 4407450N / 39°48'54"N 110°18'04"W)
35.9 - Cranes at the top?

35.9 - Cranes at the top?

35.9-35.97 - There is a bend in the road. Park just after the bend. There are several good panels before and around the bend on the cliff band above the road. This is just before Currant Creek and an oil facility on the left. (12S 560206E 4407173N / 39°48'45"N 110°17'48"W)
 36.6 - Panel

36.6 - Panel

36.6 - Small pullout just before a side canyon. Panel above. (12S 561159E 4407259N / 39°48'47"N 110°17'08"W)
37.05 - Small men pictograph

37.05 - Small men pictograph

37.05 - Just behind a boulder with more modern graffiti is a series of small red pictograph men. There are also remnants of a much larger pictograph that rock fall as removed most of. (12S 561989E 4407212N / 39°48'45"N 110°16'33"W)
37.2 - Pictographs

37.2 - Pictographs

37.2 - Pullout on the right. A flat trail leads a short distance to pictographs and petroglyphs. Pictographs are less common in Nine Mile than petroglyphs, and this is a good one to visit. (12S 562196E 4407118N / 39°48'42"N 110°16'24"W)
38.1 - Preston Nutter Ranch - The Preston Nutter Ranch was headquarters to the Nutters Corporation, a massive cattle operation with more than 300,000 acres under its control. Preston was often referred to as Utah's Cattle King! He settled down in the area after he married at 58 years old. Once a very bustling ranch, Nutters Ranch was the site of brief military occupation from about 1886 to 1892, and a relay station was set up during that time that was in use until 1907 to relay between Fort Duchesne and Price. The ranch structures have burned twice over the years, and what currently remains was built in the 1940s. The ranch must have been quite the social scene, as it was the site of a saloon built in the late 1800s. The Nutters were also known for the peacocks they kept. Peacocks and a saloon, what a scene! It is hard to imagine the hustle and bustle of the ranch given its current tranquility. The ranch is private property. (12S 563600E 4406754N / 39°48'30"N 110°15'25"W)
38.5 - Gate Canyon Junction. The road to the left turns to dirt shortly and goes north to Myton Utah. Note: About a mile up Gate Canyon there used to be a rock arch that spanned the wash. It was destroyed in 1905 over concerns it would collapse from the vibrations of wagon wheels passing through it. (12S 564061E 4407145N / 39°48'43"N 110°15'06"W)
38.8

38.8

38.8 - Park just after the cattle guard on the left. Go back across the cattle guard and follow a social trail up to an excellent panel with a variety of animal figures. There is also a panel north of the parking area on the right toward the back of the small side drainage. (12S 564543E 4407030N / 39°48'39"N 110°14'45"W)
39.3 - Water Canyon Area

39.3 - Water Canyon Area

39.3 - Nutters Corral on the right, and oil well facilities on the left. There is a good panel across from the corral, before the cliff bends around toward the oil well facilities. The canyon, Water Canyon, has many panels around its confluence with Nine Mile. (12S 565215E 4407041N / 39°48'39"N 110°14'17"W)
40.1

40.1

40.1 - Park on the right. After crossing some brush, a social trail goes up to an interesting panel that is carved around an outcropping. Unique. (12S 566250E 4406356N / 39°48'17"N 110°13'34"W)
Modern graffiti,

Modern graffiti, "OB Oct 31 1956" is placed right in between two panels.

40.2 - Modern graffiti, "OB Oct 31 1956" is placed right in between two panels.  (12S 566384E 4406375N / 39°48'17"N 110°13'28"W)
Person outline near 40.6

Person outline near 40.6

Rock are up in the corner, center of this photo about 40.6. Hard to see well from the road, but short steep walk to visit.

Rock are up in the corner, center of this photo about 40.6. Hard to see well from the road, but short steep walk to visit.

40.6 - Right about 40.6, look on the left for what appears to be an outline of a person at ground level, with a smaller person inside it. Just past this, up on the left in a corner, is a larger panel that you can see from the road but is better if you walk up to it. There are other small glyphs in this area. (12S 566938E 4405938N / 39°48'03"N 110°13'05"W)
41.1 - Granary View

41.1 - Granary View

41.1 - Cattle guard. Stop just after the cattle guard. Looking down the road, turn left until three trees near the base of the cliff are spotted. Right a little bit and up is a well-preserved granary. It can be frustratingly hard to spot, but obvious once you do! (12S 567358E 4405409N / 39°47'46"N 110°12'48"W)
41.6 - Stone Structure

41.6 - Stone Structure

The stone structure just a bit up above the road.

The stone structure just a bit up above the road.

41.55/41.6 - Remains of a stone structure on the left. The first bit of it is above the ground, then a little beyond is more of it on the ground level. (12S 567859E 4405005N / 39°47'32"N 110°12'27"W)
43.7 - BLM Dry Canyon access road. This is the public right of way to Dry Canyon and requires a 4wd to cross Nine Mile Creek. (12S 570729E 4404133N / 39°47'03"N 110°10'26"W)
44 - Dry Canyon Oil Well Road. This road is a much easier access road to Dry Canyon, if the gate is open and it is not signed No Trespassing. See Dry Canyon side trip below. (12S 571139E 4404255N / 39°47'07"N 110°10'09"W)
44 - Rassmussen's Cave

44 - Rassmussen's Cave

44 - Rassmussen's Cave Side Road - A dirt road leaves the paved road to visit the large alcove. This alcove is known as Rassmussen's Cave. The cave, excavated in the 1930s, had many artifacts found at the time. Today you can see several worn areas in the rock where corn was ground. Rassmussen's Cave is also home to the famous "No Tresspassing" graffiti. You will likely recognize the pictograph and graffiti, as it is used prominently in many brochures and books about how NOT to treat rock art. According to a local we met in the canyon, the landowner became frustrated with visitors entering his land and enrolled the help of boy scouts to go to the alcove and write "Keep Out" and "No Trespassing" in the 1980s. He didn't accompany them and was a bit surprised at where they painted the warning. (and that they misspelled trespassing) The BLM now owns the property due to a land trade with the landowner. It is legal to visit. In additional to the main overhang, there are panels just before and after the overhang (12S 571119E 4404267N / 39°47'07"N 110°10'10"W)
Daddy Canyon Area

Daddy Canyon Area

44.15 - Daddy Canyon area

44.15 - Daddy Canyon area

44.15 - Daddy Canyon Trailhead - This signed pullout has a picnic area (on the north side of the road) and a restroom (on the south side of the road). The Daddy Canyon Complex is one of my favorite areas to visit. Park on the north side of the road near the picnic area. A BLM trail goes north along the southeast facing cliffs visiting a few panels, then crosses the dry wash, and circles back along the southwest-facing cliffs to the road. The southwest-facing cliffs have many fascinating petroglyphs, and the trail goes near a pictograph in the wash. Note: A social trail continues up Daddy Canyon, passing through a fence. Though I have never found additional panels up Daddy Canyon, it is a beautiful place to hike if you are looking to get some energy out. The social trail deteriorates a bit, but the going is relatively easy. Historical Note: Daddy Canyon is said to have been named by Katherine Nutter, who often referred to her much older husband as Daddy. (12S 571349E 4404318N / 39°47'09"N 110°10'00"W)
44.85 - Small panel on a bend in the road.

44.85 - Small panel on a bend in the road.

44.85 - Small panel on a bend in the road. (12S 572496E 4404020N / 39°46'59"N 110°09'12"W)
45 - Cottonwood / Nine Mile Junction. Stay right, but see below for Lower Nine Mile Canyon side trip. (12S 572712E 4404103N / 39°47'02"N 110°09'03"W)
View from the Fremont Village

View from the Fremont Village

45.8 - Fremont Village Pullout - The next stop is the Fremont Village on the south side of the road. This short trail climbs to the remains of an old Native American village. As of 2019, one area is excavated, and you can see the remains of the walls in that area. Continue along the trail, and it climbs to an excellent overlook of the valley below and a large boulder. The boulder has several open cave areas under it and was used by native peoples. Looking across the canyon (north) from the upper section of the trail, you can spot structures on a ledge across the canyon. These cannot be visited in person but can be seen reasonably well with binoculars. (12S 573897E 4404157N / 39°47'03"N 110°08'13"W)
Big Buffalo

Big Buffalo

46.0 - Big Buffalo Panel Pullout - A short distance from the Fremont Village turnoff is the Buffalo Site pullout. The pullout is on the left (east) side of the road. From the parking area, the trail crosses Cottonwood Wash, which is generally dry or small enough to step over, then goes directly east to the petroglyph panel. Note: North of the Big Buffalo panel is a fence. Across this fence and around the corner is a petroglyph named the Pregnant Buffalo Panel. As of 2020, this was not posted no trespassing, and a social trail passed around the fence. The trail continues around to the panel where the trail ends. Also note, just after the fence, on the level above, is a large rock art panel. Somewhat hard to see from ground level unless you are looking for it. (12S 574122E 4404055N / 39°46'60"N 110°08'04"W)
The Great Hunt Panel

The Great Hunt Panel

46.3 - The Great Hunt Panel Trailhead - The Great Hunt Panel is well known as one of the iconic petroglyph panels in Utah. It is a short walk on a flat gravel trail from the parking area to visit. The Great Hunt Panel is one panel not to miss, and one to plan on spending some time enjoying. From the parking area of The Great Hunt Panel, there is more rock art just up the road about 0.2 miles. Walk up the road a couple of minutes. There is a panel on the right a bit above eye level. The Hunter Panel is the last stop. (12S 574047E 4403573N / 39°46'44"N 110°08'07"W)
Horace signature

Horace signature

Panel just beyond the Great Hunt Panel.

Panel just beyond the Great Hunt Panel.

46.4 - A little under 1/10th of a mile past the Great Hunt Trailhead is a final panel on the right above the road. This panel has numerous dots in different groups. Just up the road from the panel is also a more modern graffiti for "Horace Lansen July 30/15" (12S 574040E 4403432N / 39°46'39"N 110°08'07"W)

Dry Canyon Side Trip 

Dry Canyon is quite stunning. It is sheer walled and narrower than Nine Mile. Though there is only one panel in the canyon that I have seen, it is worthwhile to make the side trip. If not using the river crossing, the road is generally good and passable by 2wd vehicles most of the time. 

 Dry Canyon - 1.8

Dry Canyon - 1.8

 Dry Canyon - 1.8 - Neat spiral

Dry Canyon - 1.8 - Neat spiral

Dry Canyon - 1.8 - Either using the oil well road, or the BLM creek crossing, reset your odometer at the oil facility. As the road heads up Dry Canyon, it passes The Mummy, a prominent spire near the road. It is 1.8 miles of generally good 2wd road to a small parking area on the right. A panel is visible from the parking area, as well as more along the cliff. (12S 570970E 4401473N / 39°45'37"N 110°10'17"W)

Lower Nine Mile Canyon 

Lower Nine Mile Canyon is mostly private land. It is signed No Trespassing, but the BLM has a public right of way to North Franks Canyon. You MUST stay on the road through the private property, but access is allowed if you stay on the road. 

The lower canyon has several panels next to the road that are easily visible from the road. I enjoyed seeing Lower Nine Mile Canyon and North Franks Canyon but would rate most of the other sites described a bit more highly. I’d save this for last and do it if you happen to have time, but not put it at the top of your visit list. The first 0.7 miles is not private, so you can get out and walk to those sites. 

Small panel justeast (right) side of the side canyon. Faces south.

Small panel justeast (right) side of the side canyon. Faces south.

Lower Nile Mile - 0.35 - A side canyon comes in on the left (north) side of the road. There is a small panel on the west side of this small canyon and a larger, more interesting panel on the east side. An animal/social trail goes up the slope to the base of it. It is not in the canyon, but just past the canyon facing south.  (12S 573234E 4404161N / 39°47'03"N 110°08'41"W)
Panel before the cattle guard.

Panel before the cattle guard.

Lower Nine Mile - 0.7 - Cattle Guard and No Trespassing sign. About 150 feet BEFORE the cattle guard and fence, there is a panel on the left (north) side of the canyon. The cattle guard marks the start of private land where you will need to stay on the road. (12S 573749E 4404323N / 39°47'08"N 110°08'19"W)
Lower Nine Mile - 2.25

Lower Nine Mile - 2.25

Lower Nine Mile - 2.25 - Excellent panel above the road. Stay on the road to avoid trespassing, but easily viewable from the road.  (12S 575658E 4404578N / 39°47'16"N 110°06'59"W)
Lower Nine Mile - 2.7 - Gate and many No Trespassing signs. Public access is allowed as long as you stay on the main road. The gate should not be locked. (12S 576192E 4404798N / 39°47'23"N 110°06'36"W)
Lower Nine Mile - 4.4

Lower Nine Mile - 4.4

Lower Nine Mile - 4.4 - Panel next to the road. Not as striking as many of the panels in Nine Mile, but a lot of designs in a small area. Some of the panel has flaked off. Stay on the road to avoid trespassing, but easily viewable from the road. (12S 578239E 4405763N / 39°47'54"N 110°05'10"W)
North Franks Canyon

North Franks Canyon

Lower Nine Mile - 5.2 - North Franks Canyon and gate. North Franks Canyon (left) is BLM land. The road continuing down Nine Mile Canyon is now private WITH NO PUBLIC ACCESS. North Franks is an interesting place to take a short side hike up the road among towering walls before returning. The road up North Franks is 4wd and continues all the way to the Sand Wash Road. (12S 578924E 4406479N / 39°48'17"N 110°04'41"W)

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