Mule Tank is a small, seasonal tinaja along the foothills of the Mule Mountains along the Colorado River. It is a long walk to any other source of water, so this catchment would have been
The Chemehuevi and Mojave Indian groups were both in this area and likely made some, if not all, of the petroglyphs here.
Not far from Mule Tank and along an Indian trail are a series of geoglyphs (also called intaglios). A geoglyph is where rocks were removed to create a negative image. These geoglyphs were probably made for group ceremonies like dances and rituals. A large circular trail crosses over one of the
The geoglyphs here are sets of circles, cleared of desert pavement, that lay in a semicircular pattern adjacent to the trail on the gravel bench above the wash.
Indian trails cross great distances over the open desert, usually from one water source to another, for trade and contact. One of the trails here leads to Corn Springs, some thirty miles away, and another heads over to the Colorado River.
Check out the Dzrtgrls site, which has a trip report on Mule Tank.
Last Updated on August 2, 2020 by Guy Starbuck