Moab Part 3: Rock Art

26 January 2020

Day three in Moab was spent on another road trip. I drove up to Sego Canyon, which is in the tiny town of Thompson, Utah. Then back to Moab to climb up to Courthouse Wash. Each site contains Rock Art dating back thousands of years. The pictures are a site to see, and you can’t help but wonder what story or message the artists were trying to convey.

Ancient Story

18 April 2019
Ancient Story

Taken at Sego Canyon. This can be seen from the small parking lot.

Sego Canyon Side A

18 April 2019
Sego Canyon Side A

Aliens?

18 April 2019
Aliens?

Taken at Sego Canyon.

Private Art

18 April 2019
Private Art

Taken at Courhouse Wash. These are unfortunately on private land so visitors aren’t allowed up close.

Private History

18 April 2019
Private History

Portions of the Rock Art at Sego Canyon are on Bureau of Land Management land. The rest are on private property, owned by a rather grumpy man who patrols in his pickup truck to be sure you’re not crossing his barbed wire fence. He didn’t seem pleased at me even being this close, as he gestured at me to move along.

2 Stories

18 April 2019
2 Stories

If you look closely you can see Rock Art on the two faces of this giant rock. Unfortunately they each have been defaced by various initials and words and drawings.

Sego Canyon Rock Art

18 April 2019
Sego Canyon Rock Art

La Sals

18 April 2019
La Sals

Arches National Park is at what looks like the base of the mountains. You can see the red rocks jutting out of the plateau.

Canyons Ahead

18 April 2019
Canyons Ahead

The US Bureau of Land Management maintains a road leading to a small parking lot near the publicly-accessible Rock Art.

Thompson's One Room School

18 April 2019
Thompson's One Room School

Taken on the way into Sego Canyon, which is in the town of Thompson.

Hiking Up

18 April 2019
Hiking Up

Taken at Courthouse Wash. You can see the Rock Art towards the right-center of the photo. I had to hike a bit to get up close.

Animal

18 April 2019
Animal

Taken at Courthouse Wash.

Red Rocks

18 April 2019
Red Rocks

Taken at Courthouse Wash. Unfortunately people in recent history have defaced this art and even tried to erase it.

Tree

18 April 2019
Tree

Taken at Courthouse Wash.

Framed Art

18 April 2019
Framed Art

Taken at Courthouse Wash.

Rocks

18 April 2019
Rocks

Taken at Courthouse Wash.

Courthouse Wash Rock Art

18 April 2019
Courthouse Wash Rock Art

Can you spot the Rock Art?

Hint: it’s near the center of the photo.