A Report on Three-Mile Petroglyph Site

The Three-Mile Petroglyph Site sits on a ridge just below a knoll that overlooks the Santa Clara River in Southwest Utah. I have visited the petroglyphs and the series of small ruined pithouse foundations found atop the knoll several times, and I have found it to be a place of reflection and peace. Perhaps I am smitten by the Indian Paintbrush that dots the surroundings or the horned frogs that scuttle through the June grass. I suspect that my fascination with this site stems from the brilliant examples of rock art found scrawled on the boulders and cliff sides.

I haven’t found a lot of written information on the site, but I suspect that it dates to the Anasazi culture that flourished here between 1000 A.D. and 1320 A.D. One of my favorite examples is a spaceman figure with an oversized head and antennae that extend from it. I also find the panel of the three separate bighorn sheep, each a different size, to be particularly interesting. The rock art extends for maybe 400-500 yards with a heavy concentration being found high on the cliff side. It doesn’t appear as though this band of people made their camp in the valley next to the river, but rather on the knoll I mentioned above.