Head of Sinbad & Locomotive Point Petroglyphs

Near the Head of Sinbad, on the south side of a giant locomotive-shaped rock formation, are amazing Barrier Canyon Style pictographs so pristine they look like they were painted yesterday

The Western panel at Head of Sinbad viewed through the Juniper trees

On the south side of a large rock formation that resembles a locomotive and hence is named Locomotive point, there are interesting Barrier Canyon Style pictographs you can drive up to. The fences are in place to keep the cows from rubbing on the artwork, you can enter the fences through strategically placed cow-proof openings.

Getting there

Reaching the panels is on dirt roads.
From I-70 take Exit 131 which is marked with signs for the Temple Mountain and Sinbad Roads.
From the interstate follow the Temple Mountain Road which will double you back parallel to I-70 for about 3.9 miles and turn right on the Sinbad Road Rte 3228 ( 38.843685, -110.705305 ) where the signs are also pointing the way to Swasey’s Cabin.
Continue following the Sinbad Road for about 1 mile and turn right onto Swasey Cabin Road at ( 38.836795, -110.722405 )
Keep going on what is the main road for 3.5 miles to an intersection at ( 38.862146, -110.774727 ) and turn right.
Follow the dirt road to a concrete culvert underpass under I-70 that will take you to the north side of I-70.
Follow the dirt road right spur after exiting the culvert
At the next T turn right
At the next Y, turn toward the left to get to the East panel at (38.87994, -110.76542). To get to the west panel, return to this Y and turn left then take the next left at the next Y, continue to the west panel at ( 38.880753, -110.771044 )

Note

Dutchman arch is nearby to the west and can be easily combined
If you want to combine a visit with the sites north of I-70 with those on the south side of I-70 (Swasey Cabin / Lone Warrior Panel) there is a culvert underpass at ( 38.867742, -110.778976 ).

There are two main locations typically referred to as the Western panel / Head of Sinbad and the Eastern panel, unfortunately, both locations have experienced natural damage to the artwork, but the western panel still has the best rock art of the two. Part of the Eastern panel has suffered greatly due to natural erosion of the rock face with the upper section of one panel missing now.

The Western panel has two main subject areas both with very interesting figures drawn on the rock face. To the right is a single shamanistic anthropomorphic with a snake above its head and arms raised to two strange objects on either side of it, further, there is a very strange-looking half-human/half-animal representation to its left.

Whatever this represents, what is truly striking is the quality of the artwork, the lines are sharp and crisp as if just drawn instead of being completed more than a thousand years ago. The next scene to the left unfortunately has and is being damaged by water from above.

There are two figures in this one, one with pupils which is unusual. There are snakes and other strange objects, perhaps a herd of deer between them, a bird, and comets?

The eastern panel consists of two main artwork panels, the one on the left is more intact but is heavily faded, and the one on the right is heavily damaged with the upper half missing from what appears to have been the rock face cleaving off. The linework of the left panel is very interesting, the artist has used lots of linear marks throughout the panel. What would the three parallel lines represent repeated at the bottom of the panel, snakes, a river, mountains, a ceremonial belt?

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