vogel canyon

I took a friend from Europe here to visit. We marveled at the quietness that it's hard to find anywhere but far away from civilization, out on the open prairie. My friend lingered for a long time just looking out over the grasslands. The petroglyphs are really cool to see. This is a relatively accessible part of the Comanche National Grasslands that gives the visitor a sense of the place without having to drive for hours or hike a long distance. If you're in the neighborhood, it's well worth a visit.

We found this place a little confusing. We thought we were on one trail, but we hiked to a sign that said the names of two other trails and had distances farther than we expected to have to go according to how we read the markers at the trailhead. We were not prepared for a longer hike, so we decided to turn around at that point. I was disappointed to miss out on the petroglyphs. The short hike we took was pleasant, but I would recommend that the trailheads be more clearly marked.

This is a very easy hike that takes you back in time. People lived in this canyon 7,500 years ago. There are Petroglyphs and sadly stupid people have been destroying them. We were surprised to find water holes and to discover that there were folks living there during the Dustbowl.

Vogel Canon affords a glimpse into the distant past. There's basic restroom facilities and a picnic table at the parking area. The trails wind from the prairie into the mouth of the canon. Along the way you can see the ruins of an old stagecoach station and old homesteads. The most prominent pictographs are marred by ignorance in the form of graffiti and bullet strikes to sandstone canon walls. Fear not, for those willing to explore, there are a number of pictographs in the canon the ignorant have not damaged. The area appears as it did hundreds of years ago, for the most part unspoiled by progress. Make your trip in the fall or early spring to limit exposure to the heat, bugs and snakes.

Even though the petroglyphs have been graffitied, you can still see most of them. We found it fascinating to imagine people trying to live in the canyon area. We came across what looked like 3 different homesteads where they used the shale rock for structures. I wish they would've posted more signs with more historical information. The hike is pretty easy and the terrain is beautiful. Beware of cactus, of course, and we did see a snake. But all that is to be expected. We also saw lots of lizards, antelope, quail, and other birds. There are restrooms and picnic tables but be sure to bring your own toilet paper, just in case. Also bring lots and lots of water.

Excellent picnic facilities, clean grounds, lovely trails in different terrain and different lengths. Close to La Junta. Ruins are well marked.

This is a good area for hiking and biking. The canyon given access to Picketwire Canyon dinosaur tracks, but it is a long hike, so take plenty of water. Mid summer hiking is discouraged as temperatures may reach 100+ and there are no facilities.

Hiked a 2&1/2 ml. trail specifically to view the petroglyphs. What an awful disgrace! The true ART was marked over with so much graffiti, hardly anything could be deciphered. The worst was that there were so many bullet holes in the face of the panel. Such a shame.