|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Nile Mile Canyon, Utah 
Life in this part of the State is not easy for modern day man, given the closing of many of the major coal mines and the supporting industry that brought life as we know it to Carbon County. Most people live here these days because they love the slower paced life style and rich heritage left from previous generations of their fore fathers. But this must not have always been the case as is very evident once you travel into Nine Mile Canyon. Daily life here for the ancient Indian tribes that once called Nine Mile Canyon home, must have been plentiful as they existed here for many generations. Nine Mile Canyon has the greatest concentration of rock art sites in the United States. As long ago as 8,000 years, Fremont Indians called this valley home, and from the very vivid reminders they have left behind, this special and spiritual canyon is literally immersed with evidence of the plentiful lives they must have once lived here. Pictograph's and Petroglyph's are at every turn and for the watchful eye, the occasional granary, pit dwelling or Indian village can be spotted with a good pair of binoculars or a little hiking. 
I spent an entire day in the canyon with our Guide, Tom McCourt, and Lucy Burningham, a free lance author, and was sad to see the time fly by and us needed to end our journey and head back to town for the night. One day is definitely not enough to truly appreciate the vast expanse of rock art and dwellings inside this sacred canyon. Tom, an experienced guide and resident of the Price area, has authored several books on this area of the State and the history it holds. His vast knowledge and years of personal experience helped us pack in much more than we ever could have on our own and I would recommend unless you previous experience or a keen eye, consider hiring a guide to help you fully understand the history and how to spot rock art and ancient structures as well as understand the people that left them here. It will be a much more rounded trip with a little help from a local expert. Or if time permits, take a few days and explore the area on your own! The BLM does not allow camping on public lands within Nine Mile Canyon. The only acceptable camping in Nine Mile Canyon is at the privately owned Nine Mile Ranch near the head of the canyon, but there are many camping spots in various areas around Nine Mile Canyon or in the town of Price, Helper or Wellington, that make a great base camp. 
This area has always played an important part in agriculture, travel and winter range and the rich histories not only dates to the Indians but in more recent time, the military, freighters, the ranchers, and the early explorers all left their mark here and continue to today. A few ranchers still work the fertile grounds once worked by the Fremont and Ute Indians, but their numbers are dwindling and new ranchers are not moving in. Maybe modern day man is destined to disappear just as the Indians did. Recent oil drilling in the area has heavy equipment traveling through the area, but often you will have the entire canyon to yourself to enjoy the solitude and serenity of this beautiful piece of Utah. When To Go Summers are generally sunny with the possibility of thunderstorms. Winters are also generally sunny but very cold and the roads can be snow-packed. Spring and fall are pleasant times to visit, weather-wise. It is best to avoid touring during hunting season if you are seeking solitude. Watch for Wildlife Wildlife is plentiful and varied. Mule deer and elk are commonly seen during the winter and spring in the sagebrush and pinyon-juniper habitats along Nine Mile and Wells Draw; they move to mountain browse and forested habitats above Nine Mile Canyon during the summer. Pronghorn antelope occupy the salt desert shrub community. Cottontail rabbits occur throughout the area, while snowshoe hare are found in forested habitats. Coyote, fox, badger, yellow-bellied marmot, beaver, ravens, black-billed magpies, pinyon jays, and side-blotched lizards are present. Chukar partridge are the most abundant upland game bird in the area, frequenting rocky or cliff-talus habitats. Sage, blue and ruffed grouse occur in riparian, sagebrush, mountain browse and forested habitats. Ringnecked pheasant may also occur in the agricultural areas. Waterfowl include mallard, cinnamon and green-winged teal, and Canada geese. 
Nesting raptors include golden eagle, prairie falcon, redtail hawk, American kestrel and Cooper's hawk. Neotropical migrants are abundant in riparian areas. Peregrine falcon and spotted bat are special status species present in the Canyon, as is bald eagle in the winter. Getting There From the south (Moab, Grand Junction, Price), the principal access route is eight miles east of Price, on Highway 6/191, turning north on 2200 East (Soldier Creek Road, at Walkers Food and Fuel Chevron Station). From the north (Vernal, Duchesne), access is via Highway 40/191, one mile west of Myton. The Nine Mile Canyon Byway is covered by the following maps: 
BLM 1:100 000 scale metric topographic /land status maps of Price and Duchesne, UT; available from Price BLM office (125 South 600 West), Vernal BLM office (170 South 500 East) and Salt Lake City State BLM office (324 South State Street) at $4.00/map. 7.5 minute series topographic maps - Myton, Bridgeland, Myton SW, Gilsonite Draw, Minnie Maud Creek East, Wood Canyon, Currant Canyon, Cowboy Bench, Pinnacle Canyon, Deadman Canyon, Pine Canyon, Twin Hollow, and Wellington; available from the US Geological Survey, 1745 West 1700 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84104 Visit Our Nine Mile Canyon Photo Gallery A Self Guided Tour of the Nine Mile Canyon Additional Resources The Castle Country Travel Region has brochures, maps and other information to help you plan your trip. The Castle Country Travel Council (625 East 100 North, Price, UT 435-637-3009) as well as the Price BLM Office distributes information on Nine Mile including bike rides in the area. "The Pioneer Saga of the NINE MILE ROAD", by H. Bert Jenson is an historic guide linked to numbered posts along the Byway. It is available from the BLM Vernal Office, the Field House of Natural History, 235 East Main, Vernal, UT, telephone 435-789-3799 and the Duchesne County Area Chamber of Commerce, 48 S 200E, Roosevelt, UT 84066, telephone 435-722-4598. Tom McCourt, our guide for the trip, has also written a book on this area "The Split Sky", and it is available here. Nine Mile Canyon is described in "Utah: Scenic Byways and Backways", a publication of the Utah Travel Council and cooperating agencies. Privately-produced guides are available at the CEU Prehistoric Museum and various locations in Price and Wellington. |
|
Fishing - National Parks - ATV - Photography - Other Topics - Recreational Property
Place your ad here and reach the great outdoors! Listen to the Utah Outdoors radio show, Saturdays from 6-8 a.m. on KSL.Thanks to our Supporters!
  Sky Call Communications  Site owned and operated by |
