Nine Mile Canyon - Part Eight.

Well here it is, the last part, well the last part which concerns our March and August 2015 visits to Nine Mile Canyon.  Finding the "Santa Panel" was thrilling, plus there were a few other sites along Frank's Canyon Road; but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Greeted on our adventure by a Mountain Bluebird.

First stop is Daddy Canyon Complex at mile mark 44.0; here's your chance to use restrooms if you need to go as it's the only area along the 50 mile road that has them.  I've posted many photos on previous posts, so there won't be a lot of rock art photos, mostly landscapes.

Just a few rock art sites...

The Dry Wash at Daddy Canyon Complex; go across and there is more rock art to see.



Daddy Canyon and a storm approaching.

44.8 - Spiral

Mile mark 46.0 is a junction; to the right leads to Cottonwood Canyon where the Buffalo Panel, Pregnant Buffalo, The Great Hunt and more rock art sites can be found. However, to the left is a one mile road that now has a name, Frank's Canyon Road and leads to the Santa Panel. This panel was so named due to the human figure holding a whip, while nine "reindeer" are in a line ahead of him (the third, very small one, is probably Rudolph). The reindeer are, more than likely, elk and mountain goats, but still, it's an interesting site to see.

4/10s of a mile along Frank's Canyon Road

White arrow on photo shows the location up on the wall.

5/10s of a mile (at ground level)

8/10s of a mile (at ground level)

In case you have no clue as to what The Great Hunt (mile mark 46.5) is, here's a photo.  We have been to it several times, and always manage to find something new amongst the other rock art in the area.



The Great Hunt

Buffalo drawing at The Great Hunt site.

Back at Daddy Canyon Complex, the view looking westward was stunning.

Here's an option for leaving Nine Mile Canyon, take the Argyle Canyon Road which brings you to Route 191; south of Duchesne and north of Helper.  It's a scenic drive and if you don't mind the extra time, do the drive.

Route 191 looking southwest.

As dusk begins to near, the mule deer come out and they will be on the roadway, so be careful as you drive through.

This Mule Deer thinks it's a Mountain Goat.

Almost to the Nine Mile Canyon sign, we saw this ram who surely needed a good shearing.  He turned, stared at us, his mouth moving silently, but we could tell what he was saying with his glowing eyes...."Get Out!!!"

...and did we!

Mary Cokenour

Nine Mile Canyon Map and Legend - Updated March 2015

For all you visitors to Nine Mile Canyon in Carbon County, Utah; here is the updated map and legend I just finished creating.  Roy and I spent eight hours there on Monday, March 23rd; riding 5-10 miles per hour, noting down odometer readings and taking photographs.  If you've never been to 9 Mile, or it has been awhile, since your last visit; then enjoy finding all the Fremont Rock Art and Ruin sites we found.

Mary Cokenour

Nine Mile Canyon Map

Nine Mile Canyon Legend

Nine Mile Canyon (as of March, 2015)

Located in Carbon County, outside of Wellington (Route 6/191), Utah.  An 80 mile road (50 miles west to east; 30 miles south to north); NO services available; private ranches (RESPECT private property/no trespassing signs); touring is FREE; take ALL trash with you; do NOT desecrate rock art and ruin sites.

Set odometer to zero when turn made onto road to Nine Mile Canyon (from Route 6/191 onto Soldier Creek Road – currently a Chevron Station on the corner).  Mileage may vary 1/10th to 2/10ths from mile markers due to curvature of the roadway; many sites are 50 to 100 feet upwards, so be prepared to park, exit vehicle and look.  There will also be signatures with dates going back to the 1880s of pioneers, ranchers and visitors coming through the area.  Do NOT leave your mark!

Mile Mark

05.7 – Dugout Canyon Mine, road goes southward...

12.7 – Mine Buildings and Offices; north side of road.

21.1 – Entrance to Nine Mile Canyon.

24.0 - Nine Mile Ranch and Campground; south side (odometer read 23.8).

26.7 – First Site (rock art site); north side of road.

27.7 – Cottonwood Glen Picnic Area; south side.

29.7 – “Bolo Man”; north side, approx. 100 feet up

31.2 – “GB 1934”; north side, ground level.

31.5 – “Tug of War” panel; north side, ground level.

31.8 – Argyle Canyon, road travels northward; rock art half mile on eastern wall.

32.1 – Deer Panel; north side, approx. 100 feet up.

32.2 – Snake figure; north side, approx. 150 feet up.

32.4 – “Man with Antlers”; north side, ground level.

32.5 – Balanced Rock, north side of road; rock art around base of rock and along walls   

            extending back from Balanced Rock; includes “The Juggler”.

32.6 – Snake and Dot Panel; north side.

33.3 - Abandoned Homestead, rock art panel behind old truck, north rock wall.

33.6 - Harmon Canyon, road travels southward; upper walls on north side of main road have

              panels of rock art.

34.3 – “Towers” rock formation up on south mesa; Snake on north side, approx. 200 feet up.

34.8 – “L. Wilkinson”, Bird Panel; north side, approx. 50 feet up (across from Fasselin Ranch – no

               trespassing).

35.2 – Jagged Line and Snake; north side, approx. 200 feet up.

35.5 – Panel of Various Animals; north side, approx. 50 feet up.

35.7 – Spider/Snowflake, Fish-like Animal; north side, approx. 50 feet up.

35.9 – Panel of Patterned Lines, Birds, Goats; north side, approx. 100 feet up.

36.1 – Oddly shaped curved figure, Bug-like shape; north side, approx. 50 feet up.

36.4 – Signatures from 1881, 1888, 1893 plus rock art; north side, ground level.

36.5 – Three separate panels featuring man with headdress, hand print, animals; north side, approx.

              100 feet up.

36.6 – Triple dot marking on east wall of canyon; man with horns and spirals on north side,

              approx. 100 feet up.

36.7 – Series of small circles; north side, approx. 30 feet up.

36.8 – Faded rock art, signatures dating 1916, 1928, 1964 – north side, ground level.

37.0 – Tree and fish, “WC Carroll 1888”; pointed rock with carved lines (near mud swallow nests);     

             north side, approx. 50 feet up.

37.2 – Five panels of various rock art; north side, approx. 30 feet up.

37.6 – Carvings of Spirals and Geometric Shapes; Spider/Snowflake and Lizard; north side.

37.8 – Mud Swallow nests upper north wall; inscription from 1818 carved along bottom of wall.

37.9 – Faded Deer; north side, ground level.

38.0 – Slanted lines, small deer and stick-like figure; north side, ground level.

38.2 – Stone house, north side of road; “Indian” wall with timber and rock art behind corral

               fencing.

38.2 – Nutter Ranch.

38.7 – 30 mile road northward to Gate Canyon, Trailheads, Summit Vista, Smith’s Well; ends on

           Route 40.  Rock art past the road of Spirals and Mountain Goats; north side, 300 feet up.

38.8 – Two sections of Rock art; north side approx. 6 feet from ground level, behind bushes.

38.9 – Rainbow, Circles with Lines; north side, ground level.

39.0 – Short Trail leading into small canyon area; rock art panels high up on walls (right side)

            halfway up trail.

39.1 – Reindeer panel; north side, approx. 30 feet up.

39.2 – Granary with wood logs and thatched roofing located high up on northern wall.

39.5 – Series of Dots; north wall, high up; across from cattle yard.

40.2 – “10-31-1956”; north side.

40.8 – “The Giant”; north side of road; immense giant human form carved into wall face;                    

                ground level.

41.0 – Granary high up on southern wall; park in parking area, look up and southwest.

41.6 – Spirals, Men with Bows and Arrows; north side.

41.7 – Granary almost at ground level; north side.

41.8 – Ground level stone walls and fire ring; “cowboy camp”; north side.

41.8 - Corner Granary high up on wall; look up and northeast (rock around granary looks like a

                 lizard, granary tucked under its “chin”).

41.9 – Prickly Pear ATV Trail; southward.

42.4 – Round Granary (timber visible) high up on wall at edge of ledge; look up and northeast.

43.0 – X on far wall, Rock formation forms small arch; north side

43.8 – Dry Canyon ATV Trail, road travels southward.

43.9 - Rasmussen Cave, fenced in cave with rock art; property owner sprayed painted “no         

             trespassing” warning over red deer/elk; north side.

44.0 – Daddy Canyon Complex, north side; numerous rock art sites; trail over dry wash

             leads to more rock art sites; restroom facilities available on south side of road.

45.9 – Fremont Village, south side; extremely steep trail leads upward to reconstructed

               Pit House; buried Kiva passed along way (overlooks main road).

46.0 – Cottonwood Canyon, road travels southward.

46.1 – The Big Buffalo; rock art located behind sign; trail to Big Buffalo panel north side;   

               Pregnant Buffalo located on wall behind fenced in area (Access Closed).

46.3 – The Great Hunt; rock art panel on south side plus moon phases, various animals and            

                  symbols along walls.

46.5 – “Plant Life” Panel; south side.

46.6 – Inscription from 1915 carved onto south side wall.

46.8 – Paved roadway ends; unmaintained paved road that narrows and has blind curves begins; be

               aware of oil company vehicles.

50.2 – Oil company guardhouse; STOP; guard will inform when road is clear to continue to Route 123.

 

Late Fall at Nine Mile Canyon - Part Four.

This is it, Part Four, about Nine Mile Canyon; I'll be showing you photos of many rock art and ruin sits, so refer back to the map and legend in Part One, if you need to.  Right now I want to send a big THANK YOU!!! out to one of the oil company workers, Mike (didn't want his last name and photo shown, so respecting that), who helped us find the granaries I'll be featuring, and rock art sites such as the panels opposite Harmon Canyon road.  He's been working Nine Mile Canyon for ten years, so has had time to find many of these sites; but we were able to lead him to a few he'd missed also.




In Part Three, I left you off at the road that splits off towards the north (mile mark 38.6); just 1/10th of a mile past (mile mark 38.7) is a rock panel, almost ground level behind some plant life.  Now that much of the plant life has died off due to the cold, it's easier to spot many sites.  Another reason we were scanning the area more carefully is to find the granary that is marked at 38.8 on the visitor pamphlet (it's incorrect by the way).  First the rock art...

Now I keep advising my readers to make sure to have a wicked zoom lens on the camera, or a very good pair of binoculars to find things you cannot easily find with just the naked eyes.  So, here we are at around 38.9 miles and there is a dirt trail leading off into a small canyon; could the granary be back there?  We walked all the way back...nothing; we climbed, looked around, looked up and down...nothing.  On the way back down to the SUV, eyes still attached to binoculars and BINGO!; rock art higher up on the walls.  Walking up the trail the first time, we missed it; walking back down and using the binoculars; well now you see why I keep advising to bring a pair.  A zoom lens for the camera can get you those shots where you cannot climb to, or easily access a site.  The climb up to these though was not difficult; just make sure to always check your footing because of loose sand and rocks.

The granary?  Did we find the granary?  Oh yes we did; but before we get to the granary mentioned on the pamphlet; let me show you what we found in between!





Mile mark 39.0 gave us another panel of Elk, but once again I'm calling them Reindeer; hence "Reindeer Panel" on my legend.  There are other figures on the walls, but I simply love the detail of those antlers.

 

A remarkable granary is at mile mark 39.2; it's high up on the walls and still contains a thatched roof!  There is a rock art panel lower down the wall, but a good portion of it has broken away.  The granary though is amazing, as how often is one found with logs and a thatched roof; it's a rare find.

This next find is going to be southwest of the main road; mile mark 40.0, park in the dirt parking area and looking about halfway up the wall face...southwest of the parking area.  You'll spot the granary, but keep looking right along the ledge and there will be more ruins to see. 

A little scenic intermission before I finally get you to that granary mentioned in the visitors pamphlet.

So, the pamphlet said the granary was at 38.8 miles; lets try out 41.0, just off the road and level with the top of our SUV.





Just 5/10ths (mile mark 41.5) away from the granary is "The Giant"; or what I named him.  I'm 5 feet 5 inches tall, and this figure towered over me; poor guy, someone shot off his face!  On the History channel is a show called, "Search for the Lost Giants"; I immediately sent a copy of my photo, but haven't heard back as yet if they're interested in him or not.


















There is a round granary at 41.6 miles; look slightly north, then east and look almost to the top of the wall; you'll see a cave (looks like the shape of an eye), but start looking to the right of the cave.  Most granaries do have a rounded shape in the front, while the rest of it is built into an opening in a wall.  This granary stands alone and is totally round in shape.









Now Mike explained that this next set of ruins dates back to the "cowboy era", and was an encampment used by them, not the local Natives.  These can be found at 42.6 miles and at ground level.

How about a little more amazing landscape shots...

44.0 miles is Daddy Canyon Complex; with the death of much of the plant life, I could climb up more easily to the cave just off the main road and get better shots of the rock art inside.  I'm a bit dubious about the "red whale" though.  Oh, if you're wondering where a restroom is; there are facilities in the south side parking area; this is it though, so take advantage while you can.

Daddy Canyon Complex Panorama

 Cave Panorama

The Fremont Village is located at 45.9 miles and we attempted the steep climb; at around 300 feet is the outline of a Kiva, possibly a Keyhole Kiva indicated by the square section at one end.  The reconstructed Pit House is at about 1000 feet up; Roy got to about 700 feet before pooping out; I only made it to 500 feet.  The path is very steep and narrow; loose dirt and rocks; don't be fooled that the larger stones are set solidly into the ground...test your footing carefully for it's a long, long way down to the main road.

I introduced you to the Big Buffalo and Pregnant Buffalo (mile mark 46.1) in Part Two; but I wanted to show you now what is behind the sign indicating the trail across the road...more rock art, and another Big Buffalo.  See what happens when you go back and look again...you find more!  I made a copy of my original photo and outlined the buffalo to see it better.  No!  My hubby and I are not one of those mental deficients who deface rock art sites. Just saying...

 

 

The Great Hunt is at 46.3 miles and according to the map in the visitor pamphlet, that's it; turn around, you're done.  Or are you?  See, there is no "dead end" sign on the road, it keeps going; no gates blocking it, so....

 

We kept on driving and found two rock art sites, plus some gorgeous scenery and interesting rock formations.  Now a warning, the road goes from newly paved to rough, unmaintained old pavement at mile mark 46.8 miles; it becomes more narrow and there are many blind curves.  This road is used primarily by the oil companies, so expect trucks.  At mile mark 50.2 will be a guard shack, STOP!; the guard is keeping radio contact with another guard shack and the trucks to make sure when traffic can go through.  If you want to continue through, the road will eventually split off to either the oil rigs, or to Route 123.

 

"Plant Life" Panel at 46.5 miles

1915 Inscriptions at mile mark 46.6.

 

 

...and this is our total adventure series, so far, on Nine Mile Canyon.  If you follow my legend, remember that the odometer on our SUV might be off from your own, but don't get discouraged...stop and look!  When it gets warmer, we'll be going back again, so the initial map and legend will change anyway; I will update both as we find more, and get more information.

 

This also concludes the travel blog for the year 2014; it has been a year full of adventure, wunderlust, great finds and excitement.  Here's to 2015, may it be just as exciting and adventure filled...happy, healthy New Year to everyone!!!

 

Mary Cokenour