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Rock art is a precious resource. Please help protect and preserve these sites.
Amazing Rock Art: What does it mean? The native peoples who lived around Las Vegas hundreds and thousands of years ago created some amazing rock art. It is thought that much of their artwork was related to religious practices or annual rituals, but the true meanings of the art are lost to history. Today we can only stand in awe at the skill and imagination of the people who lived here long ago.
Two Basic Types: Petroglyphs and Pictographs. Petroglyphs are images pecked or carved into the rock surface, usually by removing the dark coating (desert varnish) to reveal lighter-colored underlying rock. Pictographs are art made by painting on the rocks using plant and mineral pigments. Occasionally, the two types are found together.
Rock Art Sites. There are many rock art sites around southern Nevada. All rock art is an irreplaceable treasure, and because modern humans have a long history of damaging the artwork, experts considered many sites too sensitive to make the locations generally available. In that spirit, I only describe rock art at publicly known sites. I know of many sites, and other people know of far more, but these are excellent examples. To see pictures of rock art around Las Vegas, visit Petroglyph Bob's website. He has dedicated his life to documenting rock art sites around Las Vegas and making his photos available to researchers and the public -- just don't ask him for locations.
New or Old: How to tell? Modern humans have added their marks to the rocks, often damaging existing rock art. Usually modern marks are obviously new, but sometimes it can be hard to tell. Look for the quality of the work and the regrowth of desert varnish. More
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Red Rocks Canyon National Conservation Area There are a number of petroglyph sites at Red Rocks. Two good sites are located in Willow Springs Canyon. There are nice petroglyphs on the west side of the canyon on Petroglyph Wall, and there are nice pictographs (hand paintings) on the east side of the canyon along the Willow Springs Loop Trail. There are good examples of agave roasting-pits in the area too. The trail to the petroglyphs is about 0.1 miles long, and the pictographs are a 30-second walk on a paved trail east of the small outhouse in the picnic area. Calico Basin also has some nice rock art along the new boardwalk. The underlying rock here is red and white sandstone. |
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Lake Mead National Recreation Area There are some amazing petroglyph sites at Lake Mead. Two such sites are Grapevine Canyon (near Laughlin) and Keyhole Canyon south of Boulder City. The hike to Grapevine Canyon is about 0.3 miles. The underlying rocks here are granite. |
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Mt. Irish Rock Art and Archaeological Area (BLM site north of Alamo) The Mt. Irish Rock Art and Archaeological Area, located about 110 miles north of Las Vegas, is an area covered with huge boulder piles on which native peoples created many petroglyphs. The dirt access road is a bit rough, but you can drive right up to some amazing petroglyphs. The underlying rock here is consolidated volcanic ash (ash-flow welded tuff [rhyolite]). |
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Valley of Fire State Park As with other areas around Las Vegas, there are some amazing petroglyph sites at Valley of Fire. Atlatl Rock and Mouse's Tank are excellent sites with easy access. The paved road runs up to the base of Atlatl Rock, and the petroglyphs begin a short walk down the Mouse's Tank Trail. The underlying rock here is dark red sandstone. |
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Gold Butte Region Gold Butte Region is a wild and remote region with high peaks, low valleys, grand views, lots of history, mixed up geology, and huge solitude. It might be easier to just say that Gold Butte is an adventure. Parts of this remarkable area are covered with petroglyphs. Some of the easiest sites to visit are in the Falling Man Site and Whitney Pocket areas. The Mud Wash Panel is easy to get to in a high-clearance vehicle. Other rock art sites are hidden away at the end of hiking adventures. The underlying rock here is red and white sandstone. |
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