Mule Tank Petroglyphs

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 an important source of water in this vast and arid region. The petroglyphs themselves are in the small canyon below and at the tank.

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 long-distance trails here. It is probably a dance circle. Part of it has been destroyed by a dirt road but enough remains that you can clearly see it.

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.

Mule Tank Petroglyphs

56 photos

The petroglyphs start right away.

You can tell they have been carved on the rocks over a long period of time; some are faded and others look almost new.

The BLM sign at the start of the site.

Water symbol inside of a circle.

Faint circles.

Walking up the canyon.

Circles with crosses.

Zig-zags and circles.

Water?

Walking up the canyon.

Some recent graffiti above a nice concentric square.

Some more faint ones with something recent.

Very faint.

I'm getting into the area with the most symbols. This one almost looks like a star.

This one is older. It is a concentric circle with bisected center and lines. Very unique.

One of the few rock shelters here.

I go up to take a peek inside.

The petroglyphs increase as you get closer to the tank.

Back to looking for the petroglyphs. These were up high.

Some of the petroglyphs have much less patina and are deeply insiced into the boulders.

Under the mesquite trees.

The petroglyphs on vertical faces are much harder to photograph.

A bold and intriguing design.

Very crowded.

These are just starting to get revarnished.

Up on the ridge.

Looking down on Mule Tank.

Note a male figure on the left and you can barely see a female figure on the right. Female figures are rare in this region. This one is thought to be a shaman. The diamond chain is considered a female sign too.

The dry fall into Mule Tank.

Heavily carved rock.

Basket-like.

A mix.

Very crowded, but note the hand and foot prints.

Tree or leaf-like at the bottom.

A wall of petros higher up on the ridge.

The tank from under a mesquite.

A map?

Another shelter. This one is above the tank.

I spot a tiny Fish Hook cactus.

A few recent petroglyphs on top of very old ones. Note the upside down rainbow designs. Hand and foot figures too.

The lower right petroglyph is different. It looks like the letter C back-to-back.

Concentric circles.

Circle with forks.

More concentric circles.

I find a faint Indian trail that cuts across the desert. This one leads west.

At the intaglio site. Please don't shoot the sign. You paid for it and will pay to replace it.

Another Indian trail. This one has a fork and heads to the east to the river.

Ten cleared circles in a semicircular ring. They are far too small to be sleeping circles.

Another set of cleared circles. What could this mean?

Yet another set.

Here are two rows of them alongside the trail.

I noticed this white pile of quartz sitting next to the trail. A spirit break?

Walking around, I found another set of cleared circles.

Another set. You can barely see one of the other groups on the next hill.

Yep, another one. This one is next to the dance circle.

The dance circle. I could only get a partial shot of it because it is so large and half of it has been destroyed by the dirt road.

Last Updated on August 2, 2020 by Guy Starbuck