Black Dragon Canyon
Today was a fun day. We left home at 9:00 for Black Dragon Canyon. We drove through Buckhorn Wash and our first stop was the Spotted Wolf Rest Area.
After spending a few minutes at Spotted Wolf, we were off for Black Dragon.
According to my guide book the turn off is after mile 145 but it was mile 147. So we missed the turn and had to back down I-70. At 11:30 we arrived at the parking for Spring Canyon, Arch Canyon, and Petroglyph Fork. This spot looked like a good camping spot.
We hiked southwest along the reef in a wash for ten minutes until we reached the next canyon. The canyon splits the left canyon is Petroglyph Fork and the right is Arch Canyon.
Arch canyon goes another 1/4 mile before the dryfall with 3 arches at the end. There was also a nice pool of water and some shade to relax in. This was a real nice spot to stop and have lunch. After finishing lunch we spotted a small frog near the pond.
After visiting the arches walk back 300 yards and go into the next canyon which is Petroglyph Canyon. Just a short distance is two panels. The first panel is faded but the second panel is easily seen.
After visiting these canyons we hiked back to the vehicles and drove further into Black Dragon Canyon. This road was really rough and required a high clearance vehicle to reach the parking. These Pictographs are really cool. The big writings are high up on the wall while some other writings are in a nearby shallow alcove.
I heard there was a nearby cave, so we searched for the cave but could not find it. We drove further up canyon but couldn’t find the cave, maybe I will have to return another time. A good website for exact coordinates: climb-utah.com
May 19, 2008 at 9:44 am
Looks like you had a good time.
I’ll bet it was pretty hot! I hiked the Reef in May once–it got up to over 90 degrees, and my friends and I ran out of water at the very top of the Reef. It was a long, hot hike back down. 
That’s cool that there was some water in Arch Canyon. Both times I was there, it was dry.
May 19, 2008 at 8:25 pm
It was a hot day. It probably was over 90, the heat from the ground was baking my feet. We brought plenty of water and a bunch of soda. It was way nice to sit in the shade in Arch Canyon. It is crazy how the weather got hot all of a sudden, but I am glad the wind isn’t blowing.
That would be terrible to run out of water up on the reef. With the rock radiating all the heat.
May 23, 2008 at 7:10 am
Nice trip report, I have hiked the Box Spring Canyon a few times in the past. I have always liked this area.