Cave Valley

[mattandersao]

One of my favorite short hikes is to see the pictographs at Cave Valley. I had hiked (dont know if I would really call it a hike, it is more of a stroll?) a couple of times but this time I also wanted to find a different cave with some archeological artifacts that is a little less publicized. I found it and also found why it is less hiked to, not near as many pictographs! I did find, and leave an arrowhead which is always a bonus!

[mattandersao]

Some pictures from the same day. The sunflowers are amazing right now! I have never seen so many up Kolob Terrace Road!!!!

[Sombeech]

Cool, where is this?

[Udink]

Whoa, cool pictographs. I dig the yellow ones, but the blue ones are just awesome!

[mattandersao]

Cave Valley Zion National Park, Just off the Kolob Terrace Road.

[Win]

I love Cave Valley, almost headed there last night but stuff got in the way. I did see the flowers a week ago and it is beautiful.

Win

[accadacca]

Excellent stuff!

[pixie1339]

Awesome pics! Would you be willing to share how to get there?

[mattandersao]

For the flowers or pictographs? For the flowers just drive up Kolob Terrace Road and you will see them everywhere, for Cave Valley Pictographs send me a PM.

[erial]

The other cave? Was it just a bit further east with an arch-like structure inside?

[mattandersao]

"The other cave? Was it just a bit further east with an arch-like structure inside"

I believe that is the same cave... The one I found was across the road (i thought that was west, but then again my sense of direction never is great without a map/gps) Upon rereading my previous comment I didnt find pictographs but did find a cave with a post from the National Park Service discussing the importance of archeological sites. Do you know anything else about this second cave? Are there other pictographs/petroglyphs in the area? Etc?

[oldno7]

"The other cave? Was it just a bit further east with an arch-like structure inside"

I believe that is the same cave... The one I found was across the road (i thought that was west, but then again my sense of direction never is great without a map/gps) Upon rereading my previous comment I didnt find pictographs but did find a cave with a post from the National Park Service discussing the importance of archeological sites. Do you know anything else about this second cave? Are there other pictographs/petroglyphs in the area? Etc?

You just went to the first one, if it had a NPS register.
Second one mostly East, same ridge.
Then theres the Mother of Earth cave....now thats cool.

[Win]

The photos Erial posted are from the alcove Kurt describes as along the same ridge. MOE cave is pretty neat!

Across the road on the South side of Lambs Knoll are other archeological sites that have the NPS stakes. There are very faint petroglyphs there. The day I went to that area it was miserably cold with wind and I didn't really explore the area. A freind warned me of a lot of rattlers in that area.

Win

Yo in MOE cave:

[erial]

Am including a photo of the pictographs at the second site. You could continue along heading east near the base of that formation and arrive at a stocktrail that's been blasted into the rock. You could use that trail to hike up to the top of the ridge for the view. I suppose you could continue on down the other side but the flats looks to be private land back there.

Haven't been to the MOE cave. West side of the Kolob Res road? Will have to seek it out next trip. Looks impressive.

[mattandersao]

I walked across the road to the Lamb Knoll site, I didnt see any petro's/picto's but there was a nps archeological site marker.

I have hiked on top, although I think I took a much harder route as it involved some class 3/4 scrambling. The view from the top was AMAZING. I posted some of the pictures here, but this has been a year or so ago. As for private property in the valley on the other side, I'm not sure but when I worked for the NPS (Youth Conservation Corps, we did the same job as the Zion employees but were paid minimum wage, no complaints though I loved every minute of it, well other than waking up during my summer break :) ) We hiked over to the valley on the other side and pulled Russian Thistle for 2 or 3 full days.

I will have to look into the 2nd cave pictographs Erial posted.

Isnt the MOE cave the large cave visible from the Kolob Terrace Road, the cave north across the valley from the caves we are talking about?

Any other sites in that area?

[erial]

I will have to look into the 2nd cave pictographs Erial posted.



Any other sites in that area?

That's all there is at that the second site, just those 5 figures.

Back in 2006 someone on the ol' uutah.com forum posted a photo of some rock art not near Kolob Reservoir Rd, but near the Kolob Visitor Center off of I-15. I've never found the site, but supposedly it's out there.

[mattandersao]

I know there are some near Browse creek. I met and talked to a friendly park ranger at the Zion visitor center one day and he actually told me about a few sites. Odd huh typically those park/blm type are pretty tight lipped when it comes to cultural/archeological sites.

[jdawg]

I know where the Browse ones are

[mattandersao]

I'll show you mine if you show me yours

[jdawg]

Deal! Pm me.