Sego Canyon Rock Art: Out Of This World Pictographs Just An Hour From Moab Red Around the World

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If you’ve been here a while you’ll know it’s not shocking that I had no idea what the Sego Canyon Pictographs were basically until we were going. I had heard of Sego Canyon earlier this summer but didn’t really know what it was. We decided to go last minute after the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail and I’m so glad!

Sego Canyon is an easy drive from Moab, 48 minutes, and you don’t even need a special car to get there. It’s a cool canyon with tons of rock art not too far from the Interstate making it the perfect road trip stop. These are probably the coolest pictographs in Moab, or close to it and definitely worth adding to your bucket list.

Things to keep in mind when visiting ruins:

Do not touch the rock art (pictographs or petroglyphs) because the oils on our fingers can degrade them.
If you find artifacts, do not take them. Leave them where they are and just take pictures.
If there are structures (rooms, kivas, anything like that) don’t enter them unless it is stated that you can. Most places you can’t but national and state parks will have restored structures you can enter. Mesa Verde, Edge of the Cedars, and Anasazi Museum all have ruins you can enter.
And finally, don’t carve in or write on the rocks! I don’t want to have to say this, but I need to fo sho.

What are the Sego Canyon Pictographs?

Sego Canyon Rock Art is made up of three styles: Fremont, Ute, and Barrier. They’re all very distinct, but the Barrier style is arguably the highlight. These are the out of this world alien-looking creatures that you’re probably there to see.

The Archaic People (that made the Barrier Style figures) roamed the area over 8,000 years ago and made the Anthropomorphic figures that look a little bit like aliens or mummies. There are ten or so of these lifesize things that don’t have arms or legs and feature some pretty big bug eyes. These are very distinctive and are similar to the ones in Horseshoe Canyon.

The Ute drawings (straight ahead from the parking if your back is to the road) features white men (one with leggings), horses, bison, and a shield. You can see these in the first picture of this post. Unfortunately, this section has been vandalized, so do your part and don’t vandalize anymore.

The Fremont Panel (to the right of the Ute) shows lifesize human figures, bighorn sheep, and geometric designs. The oldest carvings are at the top (the faint red section) and the newer are lower down.

So, what are these weird alien figures? Some people think they are depictions and evidence of aliens visiting Earth in the ancient past, but scholars maintain that they’re shamanistic art related to ritual activities. The weird features like the bug eyes were part of the rituals and are attributed to the use of hallucinogens.

This area is undergoing a long-term conservation program to help preserve this awesome rock art, so please be respectful of the area, just like you would at any rock art or ruin site.

How to get to the Sego Canyon Pictographs

Sego Canyon is super easy to get to and the road is paved most of, if not all, the way to the parking area, which is about four miles from the Interstate. From the parking lot if your back is to the road, you can see some of the art straight ahead (Ute) and to your right (Fremont). The good stuff (Barrier) is around the outcropping to the right. There is more across the road from the good section.

Moab to Sego Canyon

From Moab, head out towards the Interstate. Merge onto I-70 East and get off at Thompson Springs (Exit 187). Turn left onto UT-94, which turns into BLM 159/Sego Canyon Road, and follow this until you get to the rock art. It will be on your left. There is a parking area and bathroom here with small trails leading to all the rock art.

Sego Canyon from the Interstate

Take the Thompson Springs exit (Exit 187) and turn left onto UT-94, which turns into BLM 159/Sego Canyon Road. Follow this until you get to the rock art. It will be on your left. There is a parking area and bathroom here with small trails leading to all the rock art.

Is the hike to the Sego Canyon pictographs long?

Nope! You can see them right from the parking area. There are some right in front of you and then some others just to your right around the rock that sort of sticks out and there are a few behind you on the other side of the road. Less than half a mile for all of it, for sure.

Is the Sego Canyon rock art worth seeing?

Absolutely! Especially if you like this kind of thing. And if you’ve never seen pictographs, these would be a pretty good first since they’re so different. These are an easy side trip even if you’re just driving by on I70.