Hidden in the rocks of Joshua Tree is a small pictograph rock shelter called the Cave of the White Orbs. I was asked not to give directions to this location.
In 2021, I had the opportunity to meet up with a friend and head out there. We’ve both covered a lot of ground in Joshua Tree.
After a nice little hike, we arrived at a group of granite rock outcrops and started our search for the Cave and anything else we might find. There are a few other pictograph rock shelters surrounding the Cave. One of them, which we are calling the Children’s Cave, has a few pictographs.
One of the pictographs looks like a bird. Another is a set of small red lines of pigment drawn on the wall. They look like they were put there by a child’s hand and are in a very tight space. Something only a child could get into easily.
We continued our scramble through the boulders and came upon a bird point and a few pieces of pottery. One of the sherds looked like it was once part of the rim of a bowl or olla. We left everything we found, as you should too.
After a bit more searching about, we came to the Cave of the White Orbs. It is a small rock shelter with a ceiling of unique pictographs. Various symbols decorate the ceiling, but the White Orbs are the most intriguing. Four white orbs hang from a horizontal white line. Two of the orbs are hollow with a red-lined interior. I haven’t seen anything like this elsewhere in Joshua Tree or anywhere else in the Mojave, for that matter. What an interesting site! What could they mean?
No directions to this site. Please enjoy my photos below.
