Ash Springs Rock Art Site – Caliente, Nevada

Ash Springs Rock Art Site – Caliente, Nevada

As with a great deal of the Great Basin rock art, Ash Springs Rock Art Site has petroglyphs, or rock art which is engraved, is the dominant form found at the site.  These are etched onto rock faces by pecking, abrading, scratching or a combination of the techniques.  All of them at Ash Springs are pecked and display a wide range of line widths.  The weather and humans have had their destructive effect on the art, but they are still able to be enjoyed.  Just don’t harm them, leave them for future generations to enjoy too.

Much of the imagery at Ash Springs is not something that we can understand, but it certainly would have been understood by those that wrote it.  Other glyphs are more recognizable, there are signs resembling animals (called zoomorphs) which are all four legged types or quadrupeds, as well as birds, insects, and other animals.  Mountain sheep are the most common

At Ash Springs and occur throughout the Great Basin and western US.  Human figures (anthropomorphs) are the other recognizable forms found at Ash Springs and exhibit striking variations in their design.

The Ash Springs area was frequented by a culture known as the Pahranagats (one of several known Southern Paiute groups.)  The camp area was accommodations for a small village of 25 – 40 people.  They didn’t gather much food during the winter; it was a great place to visit, gambling and story telling.

There are remnants of the stone tools the Indians worked with still at the site. At Ash Springs shreds of Fremont-like greyware have been found, indicating the presence of these Southwest groups who co-existed in this are along with the Pahranagats c AD 500-1250.

The history of the site is interesting, you may want to spend some time researching it before going just so you can truly understand the fabulous past of this wonderful place.

Location: The Ash Springs Rock Art Site is located approximately 5 miles south of the intersection of Route 93, 375 and 318, on the east side of Route 93 at mile 45.5 across the road from the white trailer with the white picket fence.

Rock Art Etiquette:

To explore the site and all the other sites in Nevada, you will need comfortable walking shoes, comfortable cloths, sunscreen sunglasses and a hat.  Watch out for rattlesnakes!!  Never put your feet or hands where you cannot see them (like in deep nooks and crannies of rocks and boulders while climbing.)  Those areas are snakes homes and they WILL protect it.  Bring water, even if you only plan to go for a short hike, take water!

Do not EVER touch rock art and do not EVER walk on it.  It is very fragile and application of any material, including water and especially oil from you skin can cause irreparable damage.

If you see any vandalism taking place, please call the Bureau of Land Management’s resource protection hotline at 800-722-3998.

Extremely Important: Leave What Your Find, Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly.

Related posts:

1. Bonnie Springs Wild West Town – Bonnie Springs, Nevada
2. Desert Rock Climbing – Red Rock Canyon
3. Beaver Dam State Park – Caliente, Nevada
4. Nevada Museum of Art – Reno, Nevada
5. Red Rock Canyon – Mojave Desert, Nevada