Links

When I first moved to the Las Vegas area, I was amazed by the outdoor options that are just 20 minutes from my front door.  In any direction, the choices are limitless: the Mojave, the Great Basin, Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Gold Butte, Pahranagat Valley, Grand Canyon, Parashant, AZ, CA & UT parks, and all the expansive open BLM land in between.  NV is the most

TONS of open, unexplored land in the American West

mountainous state in the lower 48.  People flying in to enjoy The Strip or Fremont Street don’t realize the unbelievable outdoor options just minutes away.  Here’s a map showing how much of the land is open & undeveloped in the American Southwest…NV alone is almost 87% undeveloped.

I started exploring simply by just going to areas that looked interesting to me.  And, as I started to find and catalog native rock art, I wanted to learn more.  So, here are some of the resources I’ve found to be invaluable.

  • Ken’s Photo Gallery has TONS of pictures and trip reports to explore.  His blog is regularly updated, so check back often.  Plus, he’s also put together some very nice collections in book format.
  • Guy Starbuck hosts Starbuck’s Exploring, which is another great resource, with lots of pictures and details on his explorations.
  • Ken Forsyth has moved his excellent Southern NV Rock Art website to Facebook.  He has information for various rock art locations not just within Nevada, but neighboring states, too
  • Around the Bend Friends is a local Southern NV hiking club.  While their blog says that they’re tailored for those over-50, they post a ton of great content, regardless of your age.
  • The DzrtGrls have an extensive website documenting their trips throughout the American Southwest.  I really like how many pictures they have on their site, documenting each one of their trips.  NOTE – Even though they no longer update their website/blog, there’s still plenty of great material.
  • The Pahranagat Valley in Lincoln County, NV is one of my favorite places…it’s simply beautiful.  The county publishes a Native American Rock Art Guide, making it easy to get to some of the more popular locations.  But, don’t simply just go based off this guide…there are tons of locations throughout Lincoln County.  The Pahranagat Valley is exceedingly beautiful and rural, offering an endless set of options for hiking, camping and off-roading.
  • The Nevada Rock Art Foundation is helping to preserve the past, through documentation, research and public education
  • The Maturango Museum offers the only way of getting on the Navy’s China Lake base to see the Coso Range petroglyphs
  • BirdandHike has some decent resources specific to the surrounding Las Vegas area.
  • The NewX forums are a great resource for getting advice on how to modify your Nissan Xterra (my rig of choice for bouncing around the desert).

The following books have been great resources, too:

  • The Rocks Begin to Speak by LaVan Martineau
  • A Field Guide to Rock Art Symbols of the Greater Southwest by Alex Patterson
  • Rock Art of the Southwest by Liz Welsh & Peter Welsh
  • The various Mojave guides from Bill Mann
  • Pahranagat Man: Nevada’s Mysterious Anthropomorph by PB Clabaugh & RA Clabaugh
  • Great Basin SUV Trails I and II by Roger & Lois Mitchell
  • Death Valley SUV Trails by Roger Mitchell
  • Hiking Death Valley by Michael Digonnet
  • Hiking Western Death Valley National Park by Michael Digonnet
  • Hiking the Mojave Desert by Michael Digonnet
  • Mojave Road Guide – An Adventure Through Time by Dennis G Casebier
  • Afoot & Afield: Las Vegas & Southern Nevada: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide by Brian Beffort
  • Hiking Las Vegas by Branch Whitney
  • Nevada Trails Southern Nevada by Peter Massey, Angela Titus and Jeanne Wilson
  • A Guide to Rock Art Sites: Southern California and Southern Nevada by David S. Whitley
  • Petroglyphs of Clark County, Nevada – Newberry Mountains – Grapevine Canyon by La Rae Bringhurst
  • Petroglyphs of Clark County, Nevada – South Virgin Mountains – Gold Butte – Whitney Hartman Site – Lone Sandstone – Whithney Pockets – Hartman Site III by La Rae Bringhurst
  • Petroglyphs of Clark County, Nevada – Eldorado and Opal Mountains – Keyhole Canyon by La Rae Bringhurst
  • Petroglyphs of Clark County, Nevada – Meadow Valley Mountains – Meadow Valley Wash – Wild Cat Wash – Arrow Canyon Range – Double Canyon – War Shield Canyon by La Rae Bringhurst
  • Petroglyphs of Clark County, Nevada – Muddy Mountains by La Rae Bringhurst
  • Petroglyphs of Clark County, Nevada – Arrow Canyon Range – Arrow Canyon by La Rae Bringhurst
  • Petroglyphs of Clark County, Nevada – Muddy Mountains – Valley of Fire by La Rae Bringhurst
  • Petroglyphs of Clark County, Nevada – Spring Mountains – Yellow Plug by La Rae Bringhurst
  • Native American Petroglyphs…Along the Trail by Phil Benson
  • Coso Rock Art: A New Perspective Edited by Elva Younkin

Misc:

  • Publications from highly respected and well researched archaeologists and anthropologists are invaluable resources for learning more about the mysteries of rock art and the ancient people.  Two great resources are  Dr. Richard Stoffle and David S. Whitley, Ph.D., RPA.
  • Old topographic maps can be a great resource, showing landmarks from a historical perspective that are no longer included on modern maps
  • Archaeological clubs, newsletters, university information, etc. often have great information
  • University special collections section at the local university library