Located north of Vernal, McConkie Ranch, the Dry Fork Canyon petroglyphs are well known for their quality and accessibility. The panels at this place cover 200 feet of a cliff face in the Navajo formation. This primitive art gallery from 1-1200 A.D. displays perfect Feront Native American culture examples. The petroglyphs are in a private area, and some illustrations include people and symbols, along with redemptions of the various animals that populate the region. Some of them are numbered, detailing where some archeologists have worked across the site. 

The petroglyphs can be easily reached by following the signs and the ropes that mark the way on the trails. The trails are generally considered manageable, and the entire trek is just over a mile hike roundtrip that takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. This trail is excellent for hiking and walking all year round. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash or under strict voice command.

To give you a better picture of this place, rock art is figures pecked, drawn, or scratched onto rock faces. It’s usually divided into two categories: 

  • Petroglyphs are scratched, carved, or pecked, often cutting through a dark surface patina to expose lighter rock beneath
  • Pictographs are drawn and painted. 

Rock art can be found throughout the state of Utah. This type of art is located along the Wasatch Front, with national parks, canyons, deserts, cliffs, and boulders. In Vernal, including the McConkie Ranch, most rock art is associated with the Fermont culture. The Fermost was a big group of farmers, gatherers, and hunterswho ranged across most of Utah and some parts o southwestern Wyoming, eastern Nevada, and western Colorado around 2000 years ago (0 A.D.) to about 700 years ago (1300 A.D.). They grew corn and made rabbit-fur robes, distinctive moccasins, and gray pottery.

If you visit McConkie Ranch, please follow all signs and rules, and be respectful of the private property, the Fermont native culture, and history. Help preserve the petroglyphs by not removing or touching any rock art from the premises and staying on the marked trails. There is a parking area where property owners ask for donations to upkeep the site.

6228 McConkie Rd, Vernal, UT 84078