Cave of 100 Hands - Fremont Indian State Park Trail #9

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Fremont Indian State Park

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Cave of 100 Hands - Fremont Indian State Park Trail #9

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 0.6 miles / 1.0 km
Duration: 1 hour or less

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Overview: Fremont Indian State Park is located along I-70 in central Utah. Admission to the park is $6 per vehicle. Camping is available at Castle Rock Campground.

Before you take this hike, be sure to stop at the visitor center/museum to learn a little bit of the history of the Fremont Indians. The information for this guide was taken from a trail guide packet that is available at the visitor center. It may be borrowed for free or purchased for $2. Alternatively, the packet may be downloaded for free from http://dyeclan.com/outdooractivities/funplaces/fremontindianstatepark/.

The trail has two starting locations. The first is from the southeast corner of the visitor center parking lot, shown in this guide. The second is from a pullout on Clear Creek Canyon Rd near POI #1 of this guide.

The trail takes you to a 23 feet wide by 7 feet high by 10 feet deep rock shelter that has 31 hand prints and other pictographs on the walls.

Tips: This short trail is very easy and is appropriate for the whole family.

While at Fremont Indian State Park, consider visiting the following scenic trails:

Fremont Indian State Park Trail #1: Rim Trail View Points
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #2: Canyon of Life
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #3: Alma Christensen
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #4: Five Finger Ridge
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #5: Parade of Rock Art
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #6: Court of Ceremonies
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #7: Canyon Overlook
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #8: Hidden Secrets
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #9: Cave of 100 Hands
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #10: Arch of Art
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #11: Centennial Cabin
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #12: Sheep Shelter
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #13: Spider Woman Rock
Fremont Indian State Park Trail #14: Geology

Points of Interest

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Clear Creek

Stop on the bridge and look at Clear Creek. In this part of the park the creek was rerouted when I-70 was built, so this is not its natural bank. Clear Creek looks different from season to season. In the spring, during runoff, it is flooding and muddy. During summer and fall it is tranquil and has good fishing. Although much of the creek has been modified, it is important to preserve and protect this resource.

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I-70 Overpass

Notice the wide dirt banks on both sides of Clear Creek as it goes under I-70. The overpass was designed this way to make it so that I-70 would not disturb the migration patterns of deer. Do you see any deer foot prints? When were they here last? Go under the second bridge and look back up at it. After the bridges were finished, some of the swallows in the canyon abandoned their nests in the cliffs and built new ones on the steel girders of the new bridges. They seem happy here. Do not bother the birds or the nests. This accommodation for wildlife was not intentionally designed.

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Plant Life

Here on the south side of the canyon, where there is less sun light because of the high cliffs, there is a different ecosystem. In Clear Creek Canyon, it is rare to see the vegetation as lush as it is here. Be careful of the stinging nettle.

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Cave of a Hundred Hands

The 31 hand prints and other pictographs in this cave are irreplaceable. The bars are to prevent further defacing by members of your species. This natural overhang is a maximum of 23 feet wide, 7 feet high and 10 feet deep. Excavations in the cave found evidence of use during the occupation of nearby Five Finger Ridge, but no structures. The 31 hand prints were executed by applying pigment to the hand and then pressing the hand against the rock wall. The three colors of paint used was reddish/orange, ox-blood red and mustard orange. The prints vary in size and appear to be from a number of people. Fourteen are from the right hand, sixteen are from the left hand and one is undetermined.

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Spring

The over grown area, directly in front of the cave, is the location of a natural spring. Water from a headhouse that once was here was piped across Clear Creek to a home that was next to the Centennial Cabin. In front of the house was a water pipe that always flowed and was a favorite stop for travelers coming through the canyon.

Pictures in this guide taken by: burnsdye

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