After crossing the northern section of Lake Powell at Hite's Crossing, we stopped at a pull-off at Hog's Spring. Lake Powell in Glen Canyon is spectacular; but the day was overcast, the lake low, and landscape photography pointless.
We knew that there was one pictograph in the Hog's Spring vicinity that was worth the stop. It was near the highway, which is UT 95--running from Blanding to Hanksville--a truly scenic highway through majestic landscapes.
Again, we were almost frustrated when we spotted the telltale amphitheater-like alcove. Can you spot the pictograph in this photo?
One image showed up on the left face of the alcove, about 50 feet up.
It was an ancient Barrier Canyon image of a heavily robed figure with what appears to be a possible "crown."
It is called Cleopatra, but there is no reason to assume it is a female. That may just be Hog Spring hogwash. She/he has a quadruped familiar. We doubted the holes that formed her face, but closer inspection shows them to be heavily weathered and probably pre-historic.
We continued to Hanksville, which is the only "civilization" within a hundred or more miles. I made sure I always had a full tank of gas and lots of water in the car. My favorite station was the one chiseled into one of the bluffs in town.
We camped behind a restaurant, next to a canal, and spent most of the time there chasing away mosquitoes, something we had not yet had to worry about in the desert environment. Our goal was the Horseshoe Canyon district of Canyonlands National Park. It would require a drive of 32 miles on an unimproved dirt road and a hike of seven miles in a deep canyon.
But the Barrier Canyon rock art panels there are among the most famous in America, Horseshoe Canyon used to be called Barrier Canyon; hence the name that defines the most ancient of American rock art styles.
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