Hiking McConkie Ranch
Vernal
Overview
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Sun 54 | 36 |
Mon 60 | 35 |
Tue 61 | 34 |
Wed 54 | 37 |
Thu 54 | 32 |
| View Full Weather Details | ||||
|
Sun 54 | 36 |
Mon 60 | 35 |
Tue 61 | 34 |
Wed 54 | 37 |
Thu 54 | 32 |
| View Full Weather Details | ||||
Along the way to the Three Kings Panel
The McConkie Ranch, located near Vernal, Utah, holds a rich history. Originally settled in the late 1800s by pioneer families, it became a hub for agricultural activities in the region. The McConkie Ranch gained international fame and recognition in 1985 when a stunning rock art panel known as the "Three Kings Panel" was published in a magazine.
The Three Kings Panel, featured in National Geographic, is a remarkable collection of ancient petroglyphs that provide a unique window into the lives and beliefs of the indigenous people who once inhabited the region. The site has been a subject of fascination for archaeologists, historians, and art enthusiasts, offering insights into the cultural and spiritual practices of the Native American tribes who once roamed the area. If you enjoy rock art, the McConkie ranch needs to be on your bucket list. The Three Kings Panel is what exposed the McConkie Ranch to the world, but there are many other panels to visit that to my eye were equally interesting. I was surprised at the quality and quantity of rock art.
On our visit, I had assumed we would do the two short hikes and be done in a couple of hours. We ended up spending a couple of hours visiting the Three Kings Hike, and returning the next morning to visit the Main Panel Trail.
The Three Kings Panel proper will require a fairly good zoom lens to photograph very well, in my opinion.
Along the loop path to the Three Kings Panel
Getting There
From Main Street in downtown Vernal, head north on 500 West. Follow this for about 3.5 miles. It curves west after a half dozen blocks and becomes 500 North. At 3.5 miles from Main Street, turn right (north) onto 3500 West. Follow this for 6.4 miles to the signed McConkie Ranch on the right. Follow the side road about a half a mile to a signed large parking area and the trailhead.
Cliffs along the McConkie Ranch.
Route
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.
There are two main trails at McConkie Ranch. The Three Kings Trail and the Main Panel Trail.
The Main Panel (a little less than a mile round-trip)
The Main Panel leaves the parking area and heads north across a field and up to the cliff band north of the parking lot. This Main Panel is sometimes referred to as the Headhunter Panel. It stretches along a fairly long part of the cliff. The trail is well-marked and signed. Please stay on it!
Three Kings Trail (about 1.5 miles round-trip)
The Three Kings Trail leaves the parking area south, across fields and around a pond. It is well-marked and easy to follow. Be sure to leave gates in the state you found them.
About 1/2 mile from the trailhead is a junction. Go left here for the loop side trail that goes up and along the cliff face, visiting many excellent panels along the way. The side trail drops back down to the main tail after visiting the many panels and continues on to its end at a view of the Three Kings Panel in a short distance.
Photos
Maps
| Trailhead |
12T 615288mE 4489196mN N40° 32' 44" W109° 38' 19" |
| Cliff Panels |
12T 615811mE 4488835mN N40° 32' 32" W109° 37' 57" |
| Loop Jct |
12T 615771mE 4488823mN N40° 32' 31" W109° 37' 58" |
| Junction |
12T 615319mE 4489468mN N40° 32' 53" W109° 38' 17" |
| 3 Kings View |
12T 616057mE 4488559mN N40° 32' 23" W109° 37' 46" |