Carbon: Rock Art, History, and Nature

Carbon combines cultural heritage with opportunities to hike, cycle, and explore. One highlight is Nine Mile Canyon: The 46-mile-long canyon is known for its rock art, as well as historic ranches and structures. Museums in Price and Helper also offer insights into the region’s history and natural history.

Rock Art and Regional History

The rock art in Nine Mile Canyon offers insights into the lives of the Archaic, Fremont, and Ute cultures. The Range Creek Canyon is also part of Fremont history: This culture flourished there from 400 CE to around 1300 CE. Historic ranches and structures add to the rock art as further evidence of the past in Nine Mile Canyon.

At the USU Eastern Prehistoric Museum in Price, geological, fossil, and prehistoric human evidence from eastern Utah is featured in research-based educational and interpretive programs and authentic exhibits. The museum also displays the nearly complete skeleton of a mammoth, found during the renovation of the Huntington Reservoir dam. The Helper Museum focuses on a different aspect of history: It tells the story of coal mining and railroads in Carbon County, as well as life in Helper during the past century.

Outdoor Hiking and Rock Art

In Nine Mile Canyon, you can hike, bike, explore side canyons, picnic, and view rock art. Specific stops include designated rock art panels, as well as a picnic area and restrooms at Cottonwood Glen. Trailheads and access to rock art can be found at Daddy Canyon and in Cottonwood Canyon.

Near Helper, the Gordon Creek Falls Trail is a short 2.2-mile loop with a lower and an upper waterfall. If you extend the route to an old historic cabin, the round trip is 6.4 miles in total. This lets you choose between the shorter loop and the longer hike based on the distance you want to cover, without assuming a hiking time.

The Price Canyon Recreation Area adds a nature trail through a stand of bristlecone pines to the area’s hiking options. The area also has a drive-up overlook, a hiking trail, group picnic areas, and campgrounds. The Madsen Bay Campground at Scofield Reservoir State Park provides access to fishing spots for anglers with physical disabilities.

Routes and Practical Information

The Energy Loop Scenic Byway passes through a national forest, state parks, and wildlife management areas. Along the route, there are opportunities for fishing, hiking, camping, ATV riding, and picnicking. The route offers several different activities, so you can choose what to focus on according to your interests.

The Price Canyon Recreation Area is 12 miles north of Price. To get there, take U.S. Highway 50/6 North and then a steep, paved mountain road. Road conditions can change seasonally, so take them into account when planning your trip. Scofield State Park is on State Road 96.

Many visitors reach Nine Mile Canyon from Wellington, south of Price. Public access to Range Creek is limited to pedestrians and horseback riders: From May 15 through November 30, a maximum of 28 public visitors are allowed per day. Visitor regulations may be revised for future seasons; check the current information before your visit.

Tours in Range Creek Canyon

Carbon Recreation offers tours in Range Creek Canyon. Travel from Price is in air-conditioned vehicles, and tour dates are limited. Check the available dates as you plan. This helps you account for the limited tour schedule if you are planning your trip around this part of the region.

Explore more destinations: Price, Wellington, Helper, Garfield, Summit, San Juan County, Utah County, Weber.

Return to the main travel overview: Utah.