The Santa Clara River travels about 52 miles from its headwaters to its confluence with the Virgin River to the south. As the river winds its way to the Virgin, it is idyllic and beautiful. Early pioneers made use of the river; part of the Old Spanish Trail followed the river as it crossed the west to southern California.

Before the pioneers, Native Americans lived, hunted, and even farmed along the Santa Clara. Archeological evidence shows Ancestral Puebloans inhabitation from about 700 BC to 1200 AD. The Piute Indians came later and were living in the fertile valley around the river when Europeans first arrived. The native peoples left numerous rock art panels along the river from Gunlock to St. George. This site, named Gunlock Mile 3 because of its proximity to mile marker 3 outside of Gunlock, is one of my favorites. The site sits above the river and has one of the best winged bird petroglyphs I have seen. I would guess Sandhill Crane, but that is a guess from non-ornithologist. The artists who created the image, to my eye, was very talented.

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