Hiking 7 Mile Canyon, Moab, Utah

Moab

Hiking 7 Mile Canyon, Moab

7 Mile Canyon (sometimes spelled out, Seven) is located only 11 miles North of Moab, Utah. It’s a great, short hike that dogs and kids will enjoy, as it passes by several petroglphys and pictographs. The trail is very easy and flat, so no hard effort is required to get to these artifacts. 7 Mile Canyon is on the way to Dead Horse State Park, but it definitely has a quiet and remote feel. During our hike we only passed one other person. This hike is very sandy, and you’ll hike in and out of the dry steam bed. There’s very little shade, so be prepared with the necessary items to keep cool, and carry at least 2 liters of water (and water for your pup!). Please keep in mind that touching the artifacts are not allowed.

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Directions

From Moab, Head north on HWY 191 for 11 miles and turn left onto HWY 313 towards Dead Horse State Park. Drive 2.7 miles, and look for the small pull-out on the right side of the road.

Here’s a driving map.

Trail Info

Distance: 5 miles RT

Elevation gain: flat

Time: 2-3 hours

Dog friendly? Yes, off leash

Kid friendly? Yes

Fees/Permits? None

Park at the small pull-out – keep your dogs leashed until you cross the road.

First look for “Intestine Man” on the right side of the road, about 15 feet high up.

Next, cross the road and start to follow the trail along the fence line.

Use the little doorway to get on the other side of the fence. This is where you can let dogs off leash.

The next set of petroglyphs in 7 Mile Canyon is right around the corner, also up about 15-20 ft., just above this crack in the wall.

From here you’ll hike down in the dry stream bed for the next 2.2 miles. We hiked this on a rainy day (but dry while we hiked) and it was somewhat muddy.

We even saw this weird, extremely light and fluffy stuff in the middle of the stream bed near wet sections. I’ve never seen it before but I’m guessing it’s from pollen?

Continue down the stream. Sometimes you’ll see old jeep tracks and other times there’s a nice trail.

Looking for the next petroglyphs with Little Charlie.

We found them! Had to climb up a small rocky area to get to it but it wasn’t bad at all.

Back on the main trail, hunting for more petroglyphs.

The next ones we found were actually pictographs, and were under this alcove all along the wall and ceiling.

Ceiling art!

Little Charlie strikes a pose for us!

In a deep conversation LOL!

Towards the end of the hike you’ll see the no vehicles sign, but keep going another 5 minutes past here to see another pictograph.

Turning a corner with beautiful Cottonwood trees.

Look high up above some rocks and you’ll see the large red pictograph. From here, turn around and go back the same way.

That night we headed over to our camp site – the next day we would backpack Fish & Owl Canyons! Loving my new portable fire ring – No mess, smell, or clean up! I was sooo happy to be in my element – camping and drinking my favorite root beer, wrapped in a blanket!