Sand Island, Utah - Petroglyphs and Camping

Just a few miles south of Bluff Utah, you will find a sign on your left announcing Sand Island. It doesn't tell you what it is, just turn left there! You will find a rock art panel easily as big as the one we found on Potash Road in Moab!

From a distance, it is hard to tell how large this panel really is. It extends from the far left behind that big rock to the far right, beyond the frame of this picture.

Remember you can click on the photos to enlarge them to full size, making seeing the rock art easier!

Of course, graffitti is always a problem!

The one thing I have never seen, even in the petroglyph books, is that pair of "oars" top center! Maybe that is modern graffitti, I haven't a clue!

Probably the most amazing thing about Sand Island Petroglyphs is that for many years they were hidden from sight by the pesky tamerisk trees. Non-native, these plants take over everywhere in the Southwest where there is water! Utah is trying an experiment with a worm that feeds on tamerisk (or salt cedar) and it seems to be working! The worms actually cleared out the tamerisk from in front of these petroglyphs, petroglyphs that many folk had forgotten about.

3 strange figures at the top. Human or Alien ???

From a distance, it was hard to tell this panel existed. The fence it below was the clue! There are still some tamerisk trees trying to make a come back here.

The second part of the panel...... this panel was well protected by the rock overhang.

 

Twin Rocks, landmark in Bluff Utah! Also one of the better restaurants sits under the Twin Rocks....  Twin Rocks Cafe and we heartily recommend their Navajo Pizza! Chuck and Sue loved the classic pizza ! Instead of the usual pizza crust, they use Navajo fry bread and YUM!


 

    Our Sand Island camp site!

Hope you enjoyed the petroglyphs from Sand Island. There is a vey nice campground here, right on the river. It is a BLM campground and the rates were very reasonable. $5.00 a night for Seniors and $10.00 a night for you youngsters!There were bathrooms provided throughout the campground. RV Sue had the best campsite, right on the San Juan River watching the float trips go by! We said our sad goodbyes to Sue yesterday... :-(   she is such a very special friend! We will see you on down the road Sue, we love you too!
Crew of the MotherShip signing off for the night!
Chuck, Geri, DoogieBowser and Radar!

 

On the road ro Ajo AZ !

ON THE WAY TO AJO !

Restful sunset at Sue's Pond with white egret and great blue heron in the background.

Ann and Bill left the day before, and we were to meet them the next day at Sue's Pond near Yuma.

Sue was there also when we arrived! We had decided to stay at a nearby campground with utilities so we could charge up the MotherShip's batteries.

We finally got there about sunset, just in time for the evening performances of the coots, the white egret and the great blue heron!

Ann and Bill's Casita reflected in Sue's Pond.

Sue's PTV and  BLT camped under a cottonwood tree at Sue's Pond. PTV Perfect Tow Vehicle and

Best Little Trailer!

Chuck, Sue, Bill and Ann all enjoying a perfect sunset!

The next day Sue, Bill and Ann hitched up their Casitas and headed to Painted Rocks!

(exit 102 on Interstate 8 near Gila Bend AZ)

Chuck decided that we should stay in the rv park one more night to get a full charge to our batteries. We were still experiencing some electrical problems.

The Casita Convoy spent that night at Painted Rocks. They had a great boon docking campground there. Ann also gave such glowing reviews of the petroglyphs there, Chuck and I decided to stop on our way to Ajo AZ.

PAINTED ROCKS AZ

Please remember, you can click onto any of the photographs to view them full size!

When you first walk into the area of the rocks, you see this huge pile of rocks in front of you. Every single one of them has rock writing of some sort! It reminded us of the petroglyphs found at Three Rivers in NM.

Some of these stones were covered with petroglyphs!

This rock was about the size of a very large pig!

This was a very interesting stop, one well worth making. Chuck and I decided not to stay at the campground here, but to head on down to Ajo to meet Ann, Bill and Sue boondocking at Darby Wells.

Because we have so much to show you from our visit at Darby Wells, I will continue on the next blog. Hope you enjoyed your visit !!!  Geri, Chuck and the hound herd.

Newspaper Rock, Utah

Newspaper Rock was amazing! Small area of rock absolutely crammed with rock art symbols! I shot several areas close up, so you could see the details better. The best part is that this rock art was protected by an overhang! Protected from the weather and from the sun, these photos turned out really clear!
Take a look!

Remember, you can click onto each photo to takeit to  full size so you can read this sign and see the rock art close up!

 As I said earlier, this rock art is concentrated on one relatively small panel, well protected by the chain fence.

Also protected all these years by the large overhang above it.

It was amazing how clear these petroglyphs were!

In some areas, the art is crammed in, even drawing on top of drawing, this was in the middle, the easiest area to reach. Below was less active because it was near the top.

        The quality of the rock art here is the best!

Isn't this truly Amazing?  

My favorite petroglyphs so far!

To the left of the panel...

                          On the right side of the panel....

I tried to cover the whole panel

with these photographs!

Hope you enjoyed it!

Scottie and DoogieBowser, (Radar is hiding behind Scottie!) love to go with us on all our road trips! We hope you are enjoying them as well!


Reporting from the MotherShip, docked in Monument Valley!  We take off tomorrow for 4 days in Page and Lake Powell AZ! See ya'll then!
Happy Trails from Geri, Chuck and the hound herd!