On Tuesday evening, we really enjoyed a long dip in in the hot spring pool at our campground, The Fountain of Youth, in Thermopolis.  On Wednesday, we left our RV site to go visit Legend Rock State Archaeology Site. Here is our RV, duly in line with Lisa and Mat's trailer.

There is an amazing petroglyph site just 20 miles north of Thermopolis.  Over 300 individual petroglyphs, some dating over 11,000 years, are all along a 400 yard long expanse of rock ledge.  Can you imagine someone, 11,000 years ago, living in WY and tapping pictures in the rock?  For reference, many of these figures are larger than we are.
5 miles down a dirt road and into a little parking area, a warning to stay on the trail because you can see the rattlesnakes sooner, and we were off to see the petroglyphs.
First, vandalism prior to 1988, along with images of zoomorphs (animals) with horns, believed to represent elk.

Next, different shaped anthromorphs (people) with varying numbers of fingers.  Some have headdresses and some have horns.

The  rabbit!  I love the rabbit.

This is one of my favorites.  The thunderbird is so spiritual, associated with power.  Then we have the...mmm...phallic male figures, elk, AND you can't tell me it isn't --- an alien.  Just look at that head shape.  These figures are from 8000-6000 BC.  Imagine, someone here making these drawings in 8000 BC!

Next, we have a "little person", one of many in the drawings.  The "little people" moved between our world and the rock (spirit) world and were helpers of the Indians.

This figure has a line connecting it to the 2 blocky objects.  This is believed to be a person connected to the rock (spirit) world, as the line crosses a crack in the rocks.  The cracks are the transition points between the spirit world and the real world.

This complex mass of anthromorphs are probably men of power or medicine, based on the horned headdresses.  They have realistic feet but arms are short or in the wrong place.  Again, many start or end at cracks, indicating transition from one world to another dimension.

Now, a nice,simple elk, a spirit that could provide a "love medicine".

More "little people"...

These are the oldest petroglyphs, over 11,000 years old.  There are bison, elk, human figures, and a handprint.

Another human figure with extra legs and feet.

Lastly, a couple of 2000 year old elk, along with a 113 year old set of initials.  Guess graffiti has been around forever.

Here is the wall of petroglyphs.  That little orange spot in the bottom right is Luke leaving the trail that runs along the bottom of the cliff. 

 It was just amazing to see these.  I'm really glad we did it!