Saturday | April 5, 2025

This half-day trip, which is les than 30 minutes from Green River, is excellent for canyon lovers and rock art appreciators. A short, mostly level hike is required to enter the canyon.

  • Mostly paved road driving, with a short distance on dirt roads.

    The road to the panel is sandy in spots and requires a vehicle with some clearance. 

  • Bring lunch, water, sturdy shoes, binoculars, camera, and snacks. 


  • Geoff Smith
    Local Guide

    Geoff Smith is a past president and current active member of Castle Valley Archaeological Society. Geoff is a 5th generation Emery County resident and currently serves as an advanced EMT for Emery County.

Rock Art: Black Dragon Canyon

Presented by Epicenter

Led by: Geoff Smith

Black Dragon Wash carves a spectacularly steep canyon through the San Rafael Reef. Among the sheer cliff walls, a mysterious red pictograph panel as well as numerous pecked petroglyphs reveal themselves. Within a fenced area visitors may view several elongated human and animal like pictograph images attributed to the ancient Barrier Canyon culture.

Stylistically different Fremont petroglyphs are located adjacent to the Barrier Canyon pictographs. In the past someone chalked the outlines of the pictograph images, a practice now known to irreparably damage fragile rock art resources. The person chalking the images combined several figures into what appears as a Dragon-like image. This “dragon” gives the canyon its name.

Visitors to the site enjoy a short hike to the panel up through the wash and into the San Rafael reef. Nearby canyons and the wash itself provide additional hiking and photography opportunities.