Hiking Rochester Art Panel

Moore

Overview

( Rated 5.0 / 6 Ratings )

31 Todo Lists / 7 Ticks

RATING: Easy Walking

LENGTH: 1 hour (0.9 mile)

MAPS: Emery East, UT

Fri

48 | 25

Sat

49 | 27

Sun

45 | 29

Mon

43 | 24

Tue

45 | 27

View Full Weather Details

SEASON: Any

Fri

48 | 25

Sat

49 | 27

Sun

45 | 29

Mon

43 | 24

Tue

45 | 27

View Full Weather Details

hike

rock art

dog friendly

access: 2wd

Rochester Art Panel

Rochester Art Panel may be the premier rock art panel in the San Rafael Swell. A short approach, scenic location, and a plethora of art make this a great destination for all. The panel is believed to include figures from the prehistoric Fremont culture, as well as much more recent additions that included depictions of horses.

Sadly there is some graffiti of the panels, but overall the quality of the petroglyphs are excellent. It is easy while visiting the panel, to imagine ancient cultures meeting in the same spot, with great views of the Muddy Creek below. Clearly, this was a sacred space and frequently used gathering place for millennia.

Rochester Art Panel

Getting There

Note: The trailhead should be reachable by all vehicles under most conditions.

To reach the trailhead, you need to get to the Moore, Utah area.

From I-70, take exit 91 towards Price on U-10 for 16 miles.

From Price, head south on U-10 through Huntington and Castledale toward Emery.

From either direction, between mile posts 16 and 17 on U-10, turn east toward Moore.

After about 0.5 miles, turn right (south) onto a signed road to Rochester Art Panel. This road is a dirt road, but is in good shape and easily passable. ( 12S 483491mE 4312005mN / N38° 57' 25" W111° 11' 26" )
Follow the main road to it's end at the trailhead. (A little over 4 miles.) ( 12S 483063mE 4306433mN / N38° 54' 24" W111° 11' 43" )

Getting started on the hike.

Route

Rock Art and Historic Site Etiquette
Rock art and historic sites are fragile, non-renewable cultural resources that, once damaged, can never be replaced. To ensure they are protected, please:

Avoid Touching the Petroglyphs: Look and observe, BUT DO NOT TOUCH!
Stay on the Trails: Stay on the most used trails when visiting sites, and don't create new trails or trample vegetation.
Photography and Sketching is Allowed: Do not introduce any foreign substance to enhance the carved and pecked images for photographic or drawing purposes. Altering, defacing, or damaging the petroglyphs is against the law -- even if the damage is unintentional.
Pets: Keep pets on a leash and clean up after them.
Artifacts: If you happen to come across sherds (broken pottery) or lithics (flakes of stone tools), leave them where you see them. Once they are moved or removed, a piece of the past is forever lost.

From the large trailhead, there is a very easy to find the trail on the east side. Follow this trail to its end overlooking Muddy Creek from a bench above the river. The trail follows the cliff band south. Near its end, you may notice a split. If so, go right, up to the bench, not down to Muddy Creek. The hiking is just over a 1/2-mile and will likely take 10-15 minutes each way.

The panel is amazing and fascinating to study. Don't touch or put chalk on the panels, as it destroys them.

Before heading back, be sure to take in the view up and down Muddy Creek. It is a great location, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing color. There are also some more "modern" petroglyphs you may spot down along the Muddy Creek from this viewpoint.