Zion's Petroglyph Canyon

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.