Anasazi Valley Petroglyphs (Tempi'po'op)
Anasazi Valley Petroglyphs: a short hike to one of the region's best rock art panels — and how to visit without damaging it.
The Anasazi Valley Petroglyphs, on the Santa Clara River west of St. George, are among the most rewarding short outings in the region — a modest walk to a genuinely remarkable concentration of rock art.
What you are looking at
Figures, spirals, animals and abstract designs pecked into the dark desert varnish on boulders and cliff faces, exposing the lighter rock beneath. Some are centuries old; some are considerably older.
The site sits above the river valley, and part of what makes it striking is the setting: you can see why people were here, with water below and a wide view out.
There are also the remains of a habitation site on the bench above, which turns the visit from "some carvings" into a place where people lived.
How to visit without damaging it
This matters more than any practical advice about the walk, because rock art is irreplaceable and fragile, and most damage is done by well-meaning visitors.
- Never touch the panels. Skin oils accelerate decay of the varnish and the carvings. This is the single most important rule.
- Never chalk, trace, wet or "enhance" them for a photograph. This causes permanent damage and is illegal.
- Do not add anything. Modern graffiti alongside ancient work is depressingly common here.
- Do not climb on or above the panels.
- Leave artefacts where they are. Pottery sherds and flakes belong in place; removing them destroys the archaeological context that gives them meaning.
Federal law protects these sites, and damaging them carries real penalties — but the better reason is simply that they cannot be replaced.
The walk
Short and moderate, climbing from the parking area up to the panels and the bench above. The footing is uneven desert trail rather than a path.
Allow more time than the distance suggests, because the point is to look rather than to arrive.
Practical
- Go early or late. The panels are best photographed in raking light, and the walk is unshaded. See desert hiking safety.
- Sturdy shoes for uneven ground.
- The access road and parking are modest — check current access arrangements, as they have changed over the years.
- Take everything out, including anything you find that others left.
Nearby
The site is close to Santa Clara and Ivins — see Santa Clara — and pairs naturally with an afternoon in Kayenta or a morning in Snow Canyon.
Frequently asked questions
What can I see there?
Figures, spirals, animals and abstract designs pecked into dark desert varnish on boulders and cliff faces, exposing lighter rock beneath — some centuries old, some considerably older. There are also the remains of a habitation site on the bench above, which turns the visit from looking at carvings into standing where people actually lived, with the river below and a wide view out.
Can I touch the petroglyphs?
No, and this is the most important rule at any rock art site. Skin oils accelerate the decay of both the varnish and the carvings. Never chalk, trace, wet or otherwise enhance them for a photograph — that causes permanent damage and is illegal. Do not climb on or above the panels, and leave any pottery sherds or flakes exactly where they are.
How hard is the hike?
Short and moderate, climbing from the parking area up to the panels and the bench above on uneven desert trail rather than a made path. Allow more time than the distance suggests, since the point is to look rather than to arrive. Go early or late, both for raking light on the panels and because the walk is unshaded.