The Grand Finale

Tuesday/Wednesday, 2 and 3 June 2015

After sunrise coffee, (and you thought I never got up till 10), we headed out to one of my most anticipated destinations of the trip. 

Nine Mile Canyon is little known outside of the archeologist circuit, but has one of the highest concentrations of native American rock art in the country.  Little visited because of its distance from any major recreational sites, it promised to be a highlight of the trip.  It’s 45 miles from the nearest town and until recently only accessible by a rough dirt road.  However, “thanks” to a nearby oil discovery at the far end of the canyon, the road was just paved.

We spend the next two days exploring the canyon and viewing many of the hundreds of rock art sites along the canyon’s length (actually about 20 miles, despite its name) as well as several of its side canyons.

We stayed two nights at the Nine Mile Ranch Campground which promises to be the best campground in the canyon, (it IS the best, but mostly because it’s the ONLY place to camp along the 45 mile stretch.)  A working cattle ranch, the campground itself appears to be much of an afterthought.  We saw the owners only once for about 5 minutes.  Still, all-in-all, it was an enjoyable (if somewhat rustic) camping location.

They say every petroglyph tells a story.
I'm thinking I wouldn't want to be the guy on the horse.

The "Great Hunt" panel.
Famous among archaeological circles.

She still thinks bright colors scare away rattlesnakes.

Typical Nine Mile Canyon country.

I KNOW there's a petroglyph up here somewhere.

You coming up here or not?

I TOLD you there was cool stuff up here.

I hate to admit it, but she CAN walk on water sometimes.

The "Pregnant Buffalo" panel.

The canyon was everything it was said to be and a definite destination for anyone traveling in the region.

Good night from Nine Mile Ranch

Brad and Val