Legend Rock Archeological Site, Thermopolis, Wyoming.

The Southwest provided a wealth of rock surfaces that tempted ancient people (not to mention modern day vandals) to chisel figures into the rocks. These petroglyphs are fascinating and compel our efforts to interpret the figures, but we can only surmise. There is just such an attractive site about 30 miles northwest of Thermopolis, Wyoming. I visited the site on June 26, 2026. The state has built a small visitor center and a vault toilet at the site, but there was no one there. The visitor center was closed. There was no traffic either once I turned off Highway 120. It was all quite peaceful. The state provided a very handy pictorial guide to the petroglyphs, and I have included the illustrations in this video. Extremely useful. I could usually pick out the figures in the rocks easily, but sometimes there were challenges. At least once I never could match the guide to a figure in the rocks. I suggest you look at the state’s related website: https://wyoparks.wyo.gov/index.php/pl... I quote: "Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site is a 400 meters long (1,312 feet) near vertical cliff with more than 92 prehistoric petroglyph panels and over 300 petroglyph figures. While the site is not extensively promoted, Legend Rock is already a world-renowned petroglyph site. Legend Rock has been a sacred site for Native Americans of this region for thousands of years. Local concern for the preservation and protection of the site led to acquisition of the property as a Wyoming State Petroglyph Site in 1973. During the same year, the site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Legend Rock Petroglyph Site is one of the most fragile in the Wyoming State Parks system." The site is off the proverbial beaten path, so here are detailed directions on how to get there: 1.Drive 21.2 miles on Highway 120 out of Thermopolis to the northwest, measured from the intersection of Highways 120 and 20 in Thermopolis. 2. Turn west on Highway 10 (a county highway) at a sign announcing, “Legend Rock Archeological Site, Open May-September”. Outside of those months, you have to get a key from the Thermopolis Chamber of Commerce or Hot Springs County Museum to open a gate. 3. Travel 5.3 miles on a paved road to the intersection of the paved road, which heads south to the Hamilton Dome Oil Field, and a gravel road, a continuation of Highway 10, that continues west. 4. Drive a further 2.1 miles to the Legend Rock Road, which goes south (to the left). The road is marked by a street sign. 5. You cannot see the visitor center from this road, but it is .4 miles farther on a gravel road that dips into a valley. I included video clips of these spots in the video. Hamilton Dome is an oil field. The fact there was no one else at the petroglyphs while I was there facilitated contemplation and introspection. I pondered much while trying to picture someone working diligently chipping away at the rock surface to leave a message – that only the artist would understand. Please click on the Subscribe icon for my YouTube channel! I have over 190 videos on the channel in various sections/playlists, emphasizing the Old West, natural and human history out West, the American Civil War, and others, including a growing potpourri playlist, like aviation, dinosaurs, etc. Check ‘em out!    / stagecoacher   or    / @stagecoacher   And visit my website for details on all my Western and Civil War novels, as well as links to information on the Old West, the Civil War Afloat, fiction writing, flight, etc. Look for the "B Troop" icon at the end of the video. https://jimjanke.com Jim