Landscapes of Power

The panel's second paragraph never names the people it means. The White Mountain petroglyphs it points to, carved into sandstone about eleven miles north of here, are held sacred by the Shoshone, Arapaho and Ute, and their figures span roughly a thousand years: bison and elk hunts, geometric forms, tiny footprints, handprints worn into the rock and, from after contact, horses and a warrior holding a sword. Some believe the site was a birthing place. The first paragraph overstates as well: the Killpecker dunes are among the largest active dune fields in North America, not the largest.

What the plaque says

Landscapes of Power About three million years ago, a volcano dominated the landscape east of U.S. 191. The powerful forces of wind and water eroded softer rocks surrounding the volcano's more resistant core, resulting in the tooth-shaped butte on the eastern horizon. Boars Tusk now rises over 400 ft. above the desert floor and stands sentinel over the vast expanse of the Killpecker Sand Dunes. This narrow belt of wind-blown sand stretches for over 60 miles across the Continental Divide, forming the largest dune field in North America. Sands began accumulating about 15,000 years ago, towards the end of the Ice Age. Today, spectacular active dunes in the center of the field measure tens of feet in height. The margins of the Killpecker dune field are currently stabilized by fragile vegetation; white spots apparent in the distance are small patches of active sand. For thousands of years, Native Americans have recognized and revered the sacred power inherent in this landscape. Many spots show evidence from use as places of seclusion and prayer. The well-known White Mountain petroglyphs, and similar sites in the region, all attest to earth's sacred power and teach us to treat these special places with respect and care. Ceremonies and traditions spanning thousands of years continue to be held throughout this landscape. If you hear voices in the wind, it may not be your imagination.

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Boar's Tusk and the Killpecker Dunes — 17 mi
  The throat of a vanished volcano made of rock from the mantle, standing over a fifty-five-mile river of dunes that crosses the Continental Divide.
• Expedition Island — 17 mi
  Where John Wesley Powell's 1871 survey left for the canyons of the Green and Colorado; where his 1869 trip started has never been proven.

More markers nearby

• The Reliance Tipple — 5.9 mi
• Rock Springs Stage Station Site — 9.0 mi
• Rock Springs Coal — 10 mi
• Beneath This Monument (Union Pacific No. 1 Mine) — 10 mi