You can pull off the road on the right about 1 mile after you start up Kane Springs Road. This small parking lot is the beginning of the Amasa Back Bike Trail. If you look up at the sandstone monolith across the creek, you can see a large alcove about half way up it that looks like an eye. Just to the left of the eye is one of the deserts many secrets, the “Owl Panel”. If you are adventurous and can find the way, the secret will reveal itself. I suggest hiking with a partner. A silly error and a broken ankle could prove to be quite disastrous if you are alone. No rock climbing is needed to get there. If you persist and make it, you will share a vision with those that lived here in millennia past. On the way to the Owl Panel you should pass another small panel depicting desert bighorn sheep.

Treat rock art as you would a picture in your house or in a gallery. Never throw water or any liquid on the images or chalk the outlines of engravings to highlight them.  Never place graffiti on a rock art site; it is often impossible to remove. These illegal practices obscure and damage the art. Look closely at the art so you can see fine details, but do not touch or lean on painted or engraved images. Fats and oils from the hands lead to the decay oft he art and contaminate it for any future dating or chemical analysis.

The best light for this location occurs around the spring and autumnal equinox. So the months of March and September would be a good time to try it. The cooler temperatures will of course would make for more comfortable hiking on the return trip. Be sure to take plenty of water as there is no good source of water on the route.

Early morning for this panel on a clear day for golden light. Anytime of day if it’s overcast. The shot above was taken at the equivalent of a 32mm focal length lens on a 35mm full frame camera

LENS: 28-70 mm on a full frame camera, 17-40mm on a crop sensor camera

Desert Sheep © Miles Hecker CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO SEE GOOGLE MAP LOCATION

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