Calf Creek Recreation Area
Rock Art
This page contains a discussion of the rock art found within the Calf Creek Recreation Area. All photographs are from our our personal collection. If you'd like to see more rock art from this location, or if you'd like to see higher resolution or larger images, send us an e-mail message and we'll see what we can do.
There are three panels of pictographs that I know of within the Calf Creek Recreation Area. The general area is near Map Coordinates (NAD83): ~ 37 48.221 N; 111 24.703 W; at an elevation of 5,392 feet, although they are scattered along the walls of the canyon. The example in the photo above (which is enlarged and enhanced in the bottom photo on this page) is across the canyon and one has to be looking for it to see it. The three figures are probably life sized, and near the bottom of a huge, sheer sandstone cliff on the east side of the creek. There is another similar set that appears to eagle eyes on the next major sandstone surface facing the same direction just a bit further on. This second set of figures is much more faded and can be difficult to see if the sun is bright or the face is within early morning shadows. Because of the distance I have been unable to capture a worthwhile image of the second set.
These photos have been resized and manipulated in Photoshop to give the best representation of the image. Some color distortion is inevitable. If you would like to see higher quality versions of these shots, or if you would like to use these images for any purpose, please contact us and we would be glad to help if we can.
For more information on how to preserve and protect these priceless historic treasures:
- Archaeological Resources Protection Act Hotline: 800-227-7286.
- See Archaeological Site Etiquette.
- See American Antiquities Act of 1906.
- See Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979.
- See More Rock Art Sites.
This image of pictographs was taken on our first visit to Calf Creek in the early summer of 1971. It is located somewhere long the trail to the Lower Falls, on the trail side of the creek. But for the life of me I have not been able to locate this panel on subsequent trips to the area. There are three basic elements here: the reddish hand prints near the top, just to the left of center; the black anthropomorph figure with the horns; and then a vertical white "centipede" slightly overlapping the black image. |
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This photo was taken with a low resolution digital camera using a 10X zoom lens. The image was then enhanced to bring out the three pictograph figures. As I said above, I believe these three anthropomorphic figures are about life size, although they are floating about ten to twelve feet above the present scree slope. Either the creator used some sort of a ladder, or the debris at the base of this cliff has gradually washed away, leaving these guys suspended on the sheer sandstone wall. These guys remind me a bit of the petroglyph figures found in Capitol Reef National Park, just to the north of here. |
