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Sacramento Wash Petroglyphs

Sacramento Wash Petroglyphs

Nestled in the far eastern reaches of the Mojave National Preserve and near the Mojave Road lies a hidden gem: the Sacramento Wash Petroglyphs. This easy sandy hike leads to two large rocky outcrops where a hundred ancient rock carvings await. The petroglyphs are primarily abstract symbols and are likely

October 2023 News

October 2023 News

Here are the news and updates since the last newsletter in August. I've been focused on Joshua Tree lately. That will continue a bit more, and then I will move on. The next newsletter will be at the end of the year (with the year-end update, if I

Ryan Mountain

Ryan Mountain

Ryan Mountain, rising above the boulder-strewn plains of Lost Horse and Queen Valleys, is one of the best and most popular hikes in Joshua Tree National Park. It is a signature hike. The mountain offers fantastic panoramic views only available elsewhere in the park by long, cross-country hikes. The mountain

Ryan Ranch

Ryan Ranch

Ryan Ranch is an easy hike that offers visitors a glimpse into the area's ranching and mining history. It features the ruins of an adobe ranch house and other remnants of early settlers. Ryan Ranch was homesteaded in 1895 by three brothers - Jepp, Tom, and Matt Ryan,

Bronze Mine (Live Oak)

Bronze Mine (Live Oak)

The Bronze Mine, also known as the Live Oak Mine, was a lead-silver mine that also contained some tungsten and fluorite. The vein is in a contact zone on the eastern side of the New York Mountains between a Goodsprings dolomite formation and a quartz monzonite intrusion. The mine was

Maverick Boulder Petroglyphs

Maverick Boulder Petroglyphs

Like the Lonely Stones Petroglyphs, this is another isolated boulder outcrop that makes you ask why Native Americans would pick this particular boulder to leave their marks. The answer to that question remains a mystery. I did find a small tinaja; however, that makes me think they would have stopped

Diamond Solstice Pictographs

Diamond Solstice Pictographs

Nestled in the Wonderland of Rocks and just around the corner from Alister's Cave in Joshua Tree National Park is another rock shelter with pictographs: the Diamond Solstice Pictographs. The main symbols here are a sunburst arc, diamonds, and diamond chains. Their meanings have been lost to time,