Horseshoe Canyon is a remote desert canyon on the edge of Canyonlands National Park.   It is renowned as a site to observe well-preserved rock art of the Ancestral Puebloans.   The 4 panels are estimated to be 1000 to 1500 years old.  Although it is a long day to drive the backroads and hike the route, it is a special place, worth the effort.   This was a return trip, this time coming in from the town of Green River.

It is a 7 mile-out-and-back hike to the Great Gallery.   The route starts at a parking area on the edge of the canyon.  the trail winds down to the sandy canyon floor and much of the hike is a flat walk up the canyon and back.   There are 4 separate rock panels to see Barrier-style rock art.   The trail ends at the Great Gallery, the best panel, and a good stop for lunch.   When we were there on both our visits, a Park Ranger was there to provide interpretive services.     This is one of our favorite spots in the southwest.

More information:

• Horseshoe Canyon, Canyonlands National Park
• Horseshoe Canyon (2014)