Uncovering the Mysteries of the Owl Panel Petroglyphs along Kane Creek in Moab, Utah

The Owl Panel and Big Man petroglyphs are among the best preserved pieces of rock art in the Moab area, especially given their proximity to town, where sites such as this one are often damaged. This beautiful panel is located along Kane Creek Road but is rarely noticed by those passing by. There is not even a trail to access the site. If you want to see the images up close, you will have to scramble up a scree slope of loose boulders.

The owl is well defined and has a much crisper look than other panels in the area that often depict humanoids or desert big horn sheep. Always observe rock art from a distance and take care to never touch petroglyphs. Oils from your skin can damage panels. Luckily, even though this panel is within 150 yards of a major road, it has no damage, unlike almost every other panel in the Moab area that has been shot or scraped over by vandals. It really makes me sick to know someone would purposefully destroy these precious historical and cultural items. Once destroyed, the images can never be brought back.

In addition to the Owl and Big Man, there are several other designs here. If you are really into looking at rock art panels, this is a great area. There are many other additional rock art sites along Kane Creek Drive, such as the Moab Maiden, but none are as crisp as the Owl and Big Man. This is one of the best areas in Moab for finding petroglyphs. We spent a week in the area while staying at our 10A7 Moab Vacation Rental, exploring for rock art. Another good nearby site along Kane Creek Road is the petroglyphs along the trail to the Magic Theater Arch.

Since this hike is very short, it makes for one of the best winter hikes in Moab, or a short Moab hike in general. As long as the snow is not too deep, you should have no problem completing this hike. Expect the hike to take about 45 minutes to walk from the Cliffhanger / Captain Ahab parking lot and return back to your car.

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If someone can drop you off or will wait in the car, you could do this complete hike in less than 20 minutes by starting where the Cliff Hanger Jeep trail leaves Kane Creek Road. You would only need to walk down the Jeep road and then scramble up the other side into the large alcove. Once you find the petroglyphs, you will wonder how it was so easy to miss them before.

Though I refer to this site as the Owl Panel, it is sometimes also referred to as the Big Man Panel. Note that there are multiple sites with the Big Man name, so using that name can be confusing. There is some exposure along the edge of the cliff, so I would not recommend this hike for kids or dogs, even though it is a short Moab hike. As always, becareful and let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return before attempting this hike.

If you are considering a Moab adventure we would recommend checking out the townhomes at Moab Adventure Condo. We stayed with them and it was so nice to have room to relax and not be stuck in a cramped hotel room. Since the cost of the rental was split between two families it actually ended up being cheaper than a hotel room and much nicer. Not to mention the pool and hot tub were just sets from our condo.