Pets allowed
Not Allowed
Trail type
There-and-back
Distance
0.25 mi (0.40 km)
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

Petroglyph Canyon is a little-known but easily accessible historical site in Zion National Park. The only trick is finding it. It is basically roadside, but no signs indicate its location, and it has no designated parking area. The canyon is roughly 2.5 miles east of the Mount Carmel Tunnel on Highway 9. You can park in a pull-off and walk along the road to find a short trail leading into the canyon. It is open to the public, just not publicized by the park. A register sits in a metal box for visitors to sign. Please do so when visiting this spot.

The site includes a couple of petroglyph panels with a variety of figures etched in the rock. Like most petroglyphs from the region, their age and meaning are not entirely understood. Take time to examine the drawings and ponder their similarities and differences to other petroglyphs you may have seen.

Another interesting historical piece, though not as old as the petroglyphs, is the stone archway built in the wash to support the road. You walk right past it or through it when entering the canyon. This is one of many that were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, around the same time as the Mount Carmel Tunnel, to construct the highway through Zion National Park.

 

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

Park entrance fee

Open Year-round

Yes

Pros

Secluded historical site.

Cons

Not signed. Hard to find.

Trailhead Elevation

5,560.00 ft (1,694.69 m)

Highest point

5,560.00 ft (1,694.69 m)

Features

Family friendly
Historically significant
Native artifacts

Typically multi-day

No

Permit required

No

Location

Comments

Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.