Parrish Creek Pictographs

The Trail
This moderate trail is only a half mile long (one-way) with a 240 foot elevation change. Short sections of the trail are on the steep/slippery side and some climbing is necessary to reach the pictographs at the end, so it is not the best trail for young children. There are a couple waterfalls along the way to the pictographs at the end.

Topographical Map (Blue = Parrish Creek Pictographs, Green = Parrish
Canyon Trail, Red = Bonneville Shoreline Trail)

Graph of Elevation

Trail in Google Earth

The trail begins with a little climb and then it levels off once it reaches the main Bonneville Shoreline Trail. At this point there is a trail that continues up the hillside labeled "Parrish Trail." This is actually the Parrish Canyon Trail and will go to Skyline Drive and Centerville Peak (marked in green on the maps above), so do not go up this way to reach the pictographs. Instead, turn left and the trail with curve around to the canyon.

Trail marker for the "Parrish Canyon Trail" - Don't go this way
to reach the pictographs

Head left here to reach continue to the pictographs

The trail levels out and then descends slightly as it heads toward the canyon. Soon you will reach a red bridge. Cross the bridge and immediately turn right to head up the canyon. (If you go left you will continue along the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, shown in red on the maps above.)

Looking back at the red bridge after crossing it

Not too long after crossing the bridge there is a waterfall. It is normally much much smaller than it appears here, but if you go in the spring of a high water year, it will probably look similar.

First Waterfall in Spring

Evening Primrose along the trail

The trail continues to follow the creek, sometimes with the creek right up to the trail.

In fact, I highly recommend you don't go to see the pictographs during the spring of a high water year, or at any other time when the water flow is high. Otherwise, you will find it very challenging to reach them. I believe you normally should be able to climb the rocks to the left of the main waterfall, but when we got there, the waterfall was flowing over everything.

Second Waterfall

Since that way was impassable, I tried climbing the large rock northwest of the waterfall and working my way around it to the pictographs. (My kids made it this far without trouble, but I definitely did not attempt to take them to the pictographs.) This also may have worked fine at other times, but there was water trickling down this rock too, making it quite slick and treacherous. It was a bit dicey getting over to the pictographs without falling, and I ended up climbing up over the rock, through the bunch of brush at the top, and down the steep section with plenty of footholds on the other side to get back. It really is too dangerous to be climbing when it is that wet; I don't recommend it. Go when the water is low and things are dry.

If you do get up past the waterfall, you can see the pictographs close up. They were drawn by Fremont Indians before pioneers arrived in Utah. A sign marks the pictographs and reminds visitors to not touch them, but unfortunately, not everyone has followed that instruction. Some very disrespectful people have scratched and rubbed out some of the pictographs.

Pictographs

Leashed dogs are permitted on the trail. Watch out for poison ivy growing along the way. There are no restrooms at the trailhead.

2020 Update:

This trail is definitely better to do later in the summer. We went again in August and the water levels were dramatically different.

Second waterfall in August

Creek in August

First waterfall in August

It is true that this trail goes up the left side of the last fall. When water isn't gushing down it, there is a small rock scramble to get up right here that is very doable. While water was along this section, there were plenty of stepping rock to completely avoid being in the water.

Perhaps also worth noting, the trailhead parking happened to be covered with piles of dirt this time we went. I am sure this is not a permanent situation, and there was still room to park. Just be aware that there is less room for the time being.

Parking Lot with Dirt Piles

Directions
This trail starts in Centerville, which is located in Davis County, UT. To get there, take I-15 to Parrish Ln in Centerville, getting off at Exit 319. Turn east toward the mountains and continue up 400 N. Turn left at the end of this road right as it curves around to become 700 E. At the end of this road you will find a large dirt parking area. The trail starts just north of this parking. GPS coordinates: N40 55.357 W111 51.981