Travel-Curious

Travel Curious

For independent travelers who want to dig deeper

Rochester Rock Art Panel

Hundreds of petroglyphs are carved into a rock face, the Rochester rock art panel dates back possibly 2000 years

Front view of the Rochester rock art panel in Utah
 
The artwork on the Rochester Rock Art Panel and the adjacent panels consist of a large number of petroglyphs chipped into the desert varnish from the Fremont Culture of various ages dating back to at least 1300 AD and possibly as old as 2000 years.
 
The main panel has a rainbow-like depiction with a mix of animal figures, a birthing scene, and many anthropomorphic creatures as well as zoomorphic creatures with unique lizard-like ones.
 
There is more to see here than just the Rochester panel, as there are multiple panels and lots of rock art scattered about to see. You can climb up through a large crack to the left of the main panel to a nice overlook of the Muddy Creek 200 feet below and the surrounding area.
 
It is thought the main panel collected artwork over the centuries based on the depiction of horses which would date those parts to be newer to when Spanish or white explorers or settlers were known. There are some figures that resemble the Barrier Canyon Culture also.
 
Unfortunately, there is a band running across the top of the panel where the rock has either fallen off over time or been removed by criminal souvenir seekers over time. You can see chisel marks around one animal figure that is now broken in half.
 
An alligator like petroglyph
 
Interesting things to make sure to look for are the birthing scene, the long vertical line running through the panel, the lizards, and the rainbow.
 
Getting there
From I-70 take Exit 91 to UT-10 north and drive 12 miles to the town of Emery. About 3 1/2 miles past Emery, near milepost 16, turn right in the direction of Moore for 1/2 mile, then south at the first gravel road to your right; this road has a small sign indicating the panel. Follow it for about 3.8 miles to the parking area. Cars will have no trouble on the gravel roads.
 
Parking ( 38.906640, -111.195367 )
Parking is in a dirt parking lot
 
Distance 
1 mile total out and back
 
Note
 
Photo Notes
The panel is in the sun in the morning and in shade in the late afternoon
 
From the parking area look for the silhouette cutouts depicting a mule train on the Spanish Trail that ran by here

Sunset near the Rochester Rock Art Panel

 

Rochester Rock Art Panel Map

 
Route
From the parking area look for the well signed trail that loops around descending to a nice valley between the rocky ridges rising above you. The trail gradually climbs higher taking you to the ridge to your right until you reach a vantage point where you can see your destination off to the left. Watch for some minor rock art along the way, it is signed and you can’t miss it. The last part of the trail traverses the ridge line with Muddy Creek down below you to your right.

Trail kiosk at the trailhead

 
 
 

Follow the trail along the cliff bottom

 
A minor panel you will pass along the way
minor panel along the way
 
Sunset over Muddy Creek
 
There is a nice overlook into Muddy Creek below youMuddy Creek Utah
 
 

 

 

Side view of the Rochester rock art panel

 
The panel to the left with the Rochester Panel in the backgroundThe panel to the left with the Rochester Panel in the background
 
Close up of the Rochester Panel
 
Bighorn sheep and more
 
Shamon figure with abstracts and deer
 
Birthing scene
 
Insect, bighorn sheep, human figures
 
 
A single bighorn sheep carved into the rock face
 
Stick Figure man
 

Explore Nearby...

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Rochester Rock Art Panel

A short hike leads to a boulder on an overlook with hundreds of petroglyphs chipped into the desert varnish from the Fremont Culture dating back to at least 1300 AD

Horseshoe Canyon – Hike

Once known as barrier canyon, it contains rock art that gave name to the barrier canyon style of artwork, contained in four galleries including the Great Ghost.

Goblin Valley State Park Utah

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Scenic Drives...

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A forty-mile long canyon drive with the highest concentration of rock art in the world, with an estimated 10,000 individual artworks from Archaic, Fremont, and Ute Indians

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Rock art on 100 foot panels. See pictographs painted by the Barrier Canyon culture 2000 years ago and petroglyphs pecked into the rock by Fremont Indians 1000 years ago.

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Lone Warrior panel

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Swasey Cabin

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