There are thousands of accessible American Indian petroglyph and pictograph sites in the American Southwest, in particular around the canyons and caves of Arizona, Colorado and Utah. There are some (but many less) in the eastern United States that have been developed for education and public access.
The rock art dates typically dates back a few thousand years, from people of the Mesquite Flat Culture (3,000 BC to 1 AD) and more commonly people from the Fremont and Anasazi cultures (600 AD to 1,200 AD).
Useful sites include:
- gjhikes.com – a blog with hundred of US rock art sites, including locations
- Rock Art of the Owens Valley by Bill Petry [PDF] – a detailed guide to rock art sites around the Owens River in eastern California
- Rock Art of Arizona by Bill Petry [PDF] – a detailed listing of rock art sites in Arizona.
Alcove Gallery, situated at Barrier Creek in Horseshoe Canyon at the base of enormous shelter, features Barrier Canyon Style rock art.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Canyonlands National Park
- Number of motifs: 80
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
Petroglyphs and pictographs in a small cave along the Barker Dam Trail in Joshua Tree National Park.
- California, USA
- National Park: Joshua Tree National Park
- Number of motifs: 30
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
The Birthing Panel or Birthing Rock petroglyph site is a large boulder covered on all sides by Native American rock art. The petroglyphs span three different periods spanning 2,000 years.
The Canaan Gap Petroglyphs is an intriguing rock art site, with very deeply etched "Cookie Cutter" figures depicting many animal and human figures.
Located near Kolob Terrace Road, the Cave Valley Pictographs have over 20 motifs in white, yellow, red and black pigment. This site is now CLOSED to the public.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Zion National Park
- Number of motifs: 25
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
The Da Vinci Panel, located in the Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness in Utah, is an unusual vertical panel with a petroglyph that resembles Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Beaver Dam Mountains Wilderness
- Number of motifs: 22
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
The Descending Sheep Petroglyph Panel along the Colorado River has been estimated to be 3,000 to 6,000 years old and interpreted as a hunting scene.
- Arizona, USA
- National Park: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
- Number of motifs: 30
- Condition of art: Good
Multiple petroglyph sites at the base of a long cliff-line and isolated boulders along the Santa Clara River.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Santa Clara River Preserve
- Number of motifs: 90
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
Located in the Monument Valley and accessible on a Navajo tour, the Anasazi Suns Eye petroglyph site features a number of bighorn sheep.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Monument Valley Tribal Park
- Number of motifs: 15
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
The signposted Fremont Culture petroglyphs in Capitol Reef National Park consist of multiple rock art panels at the base of a tall cliff, accessed via a boardwalk.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Capitol Reef National Park
- Number of motifs: 30
- Quality: 3.5/5
- Condition of art: Good, Weathered
High Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon features ancient Barrier Canyon Style art, including anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Canyonlands National Park
- Number of motifs: 30
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
Horseshoe Gallery in Horseshoe Canyon features diverse pictographs and petroglyphs from Barrier, Anasazi, and Fremont cultures.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Canyonlands National Park
- Number of motifs: 60
- Quality: 4.5/5
- Condition of art: Good
The Indian Cave in Kodachrome Basin State Park has over a hundred grooves or handprints carved into the sandstone wall outside a shallow overhang. It's not certain that they were made by American Indians.
- USA, Utah
- National Park: Kodachrome Basin State Park
- Number of motifs: 100
- Quality: 4/5
- Condition of art: Good
The Intestine Man rock art site in Utah features an anthropomorphic figure which has its intestines showing, as well as three bighorn sheep and other motifs.
An unusual rock art site near Kanab, the Mansard Petroglyph Gallery has a number of long and deep grooves as well as a large number of petroglyphs on the sloping floor.