Pictograph Horseshoe Canyon

Location: Canyonlands National Park, Utah. Horshoe Canyon unit is west of the main park. Out of Green River take I-70 a few miles to Utah 24. Turn south and head for Goblin Valley State Park. About 1/2 mile past the Goblin Valley road turnoff, take a dirt road east. You go 30 miles on gravel road to the parking lot and trailhead. The hike is about 6.5 miles round trip with about an 800 foot rise at the end of the return. Check with the park service about all of this. Road conditions and reliable directions are a must. In the spring of 2012 the road was a graded gravel surface in good condition.

Find the location: Copy the coordinates below. Open Google Earth, paste the coordinates into "Fly To" and click on the magnifying glass.

Parking Lot:

38° 28' 25.56" N
110° 12' 01.98" W

Pictograph (roughly):

38° 27' 28.04" N
110° 12' 16.80" W

Equipment: Canon EOS 5D Mark II with 24-105 mm lens and polarizing filter.

Digital imaging/manipulation: Cropping, slight exposure adjustment.

Notes: This pictograph is found in Horseshoe Canyon on the way to the Great Gallery. The coordinates above are a rough guess but it is on the west canyon wall before you get to the Great Gallery probably about 2.5 miles from the parking lot. It is thought to have been painted by the "Archaics" who were hunter gatherers. The canyon was once called Barrier Canyon, hence this is known as Barrier Canyon Art. While in the area, check out Globlin Valley State Park. That area was featured in the film "Galaxyquest."