Out in Death Valley, there is a rock a friend told me about a long, long time ago. I'd been wanting to visit it for some time but never stopped to check it out. So, in early 2021, I finally did.
What's so special about this rock in Death Valley? It has a mysterious historical inscription on it. It basically reads: "Well this looks like the stockya rds." There might be a bit more, but I'm not sure.
What is equally odd is there doesn't seem to have been a corral or enclosure here. The rock overlooks a broad wash. There is a bit of mining activity nearby, but I don't know why this rock is here. Nearby is a single "R" carved into another boulder.
Could this have been done by William Roode of Jayhawker fame, who wrote his name at Roode Rock and Jayhawker Spring? Or perhaps one of any other number of miners who passed this way? It's yet another mystery of Death Valley.
I've been asked not to reveal the rock's location. Please enjoy my photos.
