Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site
A protected cliff preserves thousands of years of Indigenous rock art along a quiet, numbered interpretive trail.
Artwork inspired by Hans Kleiber
Legend Rock protects more than 300 petroglyphs distributed across 92 numbered panels, one of Wyoming’s most extensive rock-art concentrations. The carvings were not made in a single episode: differences in patina, pecking, scale, and superimposition record work from multiple periods, including the distinctive Dinwoody tradition and later images.
Follow the interpretive trail in order rather than hunting only for the largest figures. Moving panel by panel makes changes in surface color and technique easier to see, and the site guide supplies context without pretending every image has a publicly knowable translation. Meanings may be specific, ceremonial, private, or still carried within living Indigenous communities.
Access is part of the planning. The site lies about 30 miles northwest of Thermopolis; summer entry is staffed, while fall-through-spring visits require a free permit and key obtained before making the remote drive. Stay on the designated route, keep children close and pets leashed, photograph without touching or enhancement, and leave every rock and artifact exactly where it is.
- Images
- More than 300 petroglyphs
- Tradition
- Includes Dinwoody-style figures
- Allow
- 1–2 hours
Quick guide
- Opening focus
- More than 300 petroglyphs on 92 panels
- Comparison
- Dinwoody tradition and later carving periods ↔ A numbered interpretive trail along the cliff
Four decisions at Legend Rock State Petroglyph Site
- Begin
- Use the numbered trail so changes across all 92 panels remain legible.
- Compare
- Compare pecking depth, patina, scale, and superimposed lines.
- Listen
- Let Tribal context lead and leave private or uncertain meanings unresolved.
- Protect
- Never touch, wet, chalk, trace, climb, or move nearby objects.
Good to know
Do not begin the remote drive until you know the gate procedure. From October through April, obtain the free key and permit in advance and carry photo ID; lock the gate and use the designated key return when leaving. There is little shade, so bring water even for the short trail.
Notice these
- More than 300 petroglyphs on 92 panels
- Dinwoody tradition and later carving periods
- A numbered interpretive trail along the cliff