Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and a couple of one night stands

 Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and Campground is part of the Bureau of Land Management system. As a BLM campground is had been free in the past, but as with most of their campgrounds they had started charging a nominal fee several years ago. Now they've gone to a new system, which requires the camping registration and fee be handled online. (You can't even go camping these days without needing the Internet for something!) 

We had registered and paid for our site online the day before our arrival, but just our luck, when we arrived it was occupied! The folks who had decided to settle there had no idea they had to pay to stay there! (note to campers..... read the notices as you enter a campground). They graciously left the site and sought one elsewhere. 

We settled in for the evening and enjoyed the uninterrupted view of the desert. Wide open space and no traffic are rare these days, even in the desert. 

Right after breakfast the next day we walked over to the relatively small rocky outcrop that was situated right in the middle of camp! I'm accustomed to having to trek up fairly challenging trails in some cases to see petroglyphs. These are right in our front yard!  

If you are a fan of petroglyphs, all you can say is WOW! In an article about this site Wikipedia states there are approximately 800 figures in this collection. Even if you aren't, the sheer number and variety of glyphs carved here, over several hundred years, is amazing to think about. Some of the older ones are quite faded due to the continued erosion of the rock, and the ongoing patina forming on the stone. (Patina is the dark brown/black layer that forms on stone that is exposed to the elements for long periods of time. Petroglyphs like these are formed by pecking through that layer, usually with a stone tool. In the photo below the glyphs are layered, with the newer ones on top and much more clearly defined than the older, dim carvings underneath

The importance of this area to several cultures can only be understood if you look at a map and understand that the Gila river, which supports wildlife (aka food for native people), the map on the website linked to above shows the early explorer and pioneer trails, and now highways, cuts right through here. So the proliferation of glyphs may be attributed to the number of travelers passing by, or ????  Interpreting petroglyphs is very subjective, and it's fun to imagine why they are here, but no one can be certain they have the correct interpretation. 

In the afternoon I took the dogs for an off-leash walk out to the riverbed, dry at the time but easy navigating. They enjoyed the opportunity to explore at their leisure with no leashes required as we don't get an opportunity for that kind of exploration very often. 

The following morning we departed for a one night stay in Picacho State Park. This is a regular stop for us when traveling to and from AZ or CA.  The photo below is taken from our site looking toward I-10, a very busy highway, with Newman peak in the distance. The highway is far away, and though we can see the steady stream of traffic we never hear it. At night the lights shine so brightly it looks like a diamond bracelet stretching across the valley.

The park has beautiful scenery, an interesting history, and if you visit a bit later in the year, lots of wildflowers. We were two weeks later last year, so there were more flowers in bloom. Check out that post for details.

For the following day, a short drive, a quick trip to the grocery store, and then one night in Kartchner Caverns State Park. This is another favorite as well as convenient stop on the way home. Good trails for walking, the visitor center is really well done, and the cave tours are too. We spent quite a bit of time here last year. That adventure is here.

Next, a long drive ahead of us, to Rockhound State Park, New Mexico. 

More photos in the album!