Along the Dolores
Sunday, October 28, 2012
It was one of those days that I just needed to get out hiking and exploring by myself, so that’s what I set out to do. Last year around Christmas I had planned to hike along the Dolores River near Bedrock but got a severe headache on the drive there and had to turn around and head back home. I hadn’t made it back that way yet, so I thought it would be a good time to try again. After leaving home and driving through Unaweep Canyon to Gateway, I then followed the Dolores River to Paradox Valley and turned off at the dead-end road by the Bedrock store to the boat ramp. One day soon I want to float the Dolores River from the Big Gypsum Valley to Bedrock and wanted to check out the takeout. After leaving the boat ramp the road I was on got a bit rougher, but I managed to drive a little ways further until I reached and area that was completely washed out. I parked my Jeep there and continued along the river on foot. The hike was easy and for the most part since it followed an old road that hadn’t been drivable in quite some time. After a few miles I reached a few boulders with petroglyphs on them that I had hoped to find.
On the back of the main boulder there were a few faint bear paw petroglyphs next to some nice lichen.
Bear Paws by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
The front of the main boulder had a bunch of faded petroglyphs that have been vandalized over the years.
Petroglyphs & Graffiti by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Triangle body with big hands.
Long Arms by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr
Two more paw prints.
Prints by IntrepidXJ, on Flickr