The Big Crane Petroglyph Panel is one of the most popular petroglyphs along Comb Ridge.  It’s a lone petroglyph panel located in a unsuspecting canyon and pretty easy to get to.  The panel isn’t the easiest to find, so having a GPS coordinate or map will be most useful.  I’ve heard of people hiking up and down this canyon and never being able to find it.  I was expecting to do the same, but was happy it didn’t take me long to find.

The parking has ample room for about 2-3 vehicles.  There are more spots here, but I found several people camping in them, which is allowed.

Immediately from where you park, you will need to hike down into the wash and cross over.  I found several trails and picked one at random to hike on until I got to the canyon entrance. Keep in mind that you will be hiking on a southwesterly direction until you get to the canyon entrance. 

If you are hiking north, then you need to turn around.

After following the wash for about 100 ft., the trail went into another dry wash.  I followed this for a few hundred feet or so, but then decided to cut over and hike on the sandstone.  I saw footprints going this way so I just followed them and I was glad I did.  The sandstone makes for easier hiking than on sand!

(be careful of the cryptobiotic soil pictured in between the crack in the rocks here.  These bacteria guard against erosion and provide nutrients for plant life – pictured above)

I hiked along the sandstone until I was now inside the canyon.  I think I went for about another 1/4 mile until I was well inside the canyon. 

The petroglyph panel will be on the north side of the canyon higher up on the red patina.  I was looking for that signature crane and ball(?) glyph when I pulled out my telephoto lens and scanned the cliffs. 

It took a few minutes, but I found it!  This saved me sooo much time.  I always bring my 300 mm telephoto lens so I can scout places – glad I brought it this time too.

I thought I found a ruin in this hole in the rock (pictured above).  Looks like the rocks were deliberately placed there for some reason.

The Big Crane Petroglyph Panel is located on a rock wall that faces south.  It’s well protected and has seen no vandalism – thankfully!  There is a nice ramp that made it easy to hike to it.

The petroglyph panel is amazing!  I only saw two petroglyphs here (another petroglyph of an anthropomorph is located near).  Some people call this the “Larry Bird” Panel, since it’s a picture of a big bird with a “basketball”.  I have seen many of these ball glyphs around Comb Ridge and wonder what the significance is?