Parowan Gap
Personal Notes
This page presents our personal notes on our visit to the rock art site at Parowan Gap in Utah.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
9:49 a.m.
We were on our way home from a weekend in Zion National Park. We wanted to stop and see the petroglyphs in The Narrows section of Parowan Gap, so we took I-15 Exit 62, on the north side of Cedar City. The road heads back over the Interstate to the west. From there we took State Highway 130 to the north, toward Minersville. The road is paved all the way. It passes through a rural area with typical Great Basin scenery.
9:54 a.m.
There is a large brown sign marking the turn toward the Parowan Gap Petroglyphs. Turn east on the paved road. You can see The Narrows opening up in front of you.
When you get to the west end of The Narrows there is a parking area on the north side of the road. The first set of rock art is within a fenced area. There are a few nice examples down low, but as you work your way along the fence to the east, look way up along the flat surfaces of the higher outcrops. There are a few nice pieces up there as well.
After viewing those, drive on through The Narrows to the east side, where there is another, larger parking area. There is also an historical marker explaining the history of The Gap.
Again, on the north side of the road, there is a fenced area. Most of the rock art is within that area. Look high on the cliffs for less obvious pieces. There are also a few examples outside of the fence, toward the west.
When you've had your fill of those, cross the road and you'll find more on the south side. There is no fence there, so you can climb up to get a close look. But don't touch the surfaces. It's best to leave them as you find them so that others can enjoy them in the future. Treat them as you would modern art in an urban gallery.
Work your way back toward the east, looking high and low along the way, and looking back after you've passed a panel. There are often pieces hidden around corners on the rock surfaces. When you get to the east end of the south side, look up high on the east facing cliff. There are more examples of rock art up there.
10:40 a.m.
If you want to get back to the freeway, head on down the road toward the east, through the main portion of The Gap. From there continue east along the paved road. As the road curves toward the south, watch for a typical green street sign indicating 2200 North. There is a white house on the north east corner near the junction. Either take the paved road on to the south to the town of Parowan, where there is an intersection with I-15, or turn east onto 2200 North and head straight east to Paragonah.
The graded road passes through farmland and eventually crosses over I-15. Continue on east into town until you reach Main Street. You may have to jog a block or two to the north before you find a street that goes through. Turn left, or north, on Main Street, and follow it (Route 271) to a junction with I-15 at Exit 82.
