Indian Springs Petroglyphs

On a cold and overcast morning in the winter of 2013, I did a little hike in the Eagletail Wilderness west of Phoenix. The Sonoran Desert of Arizona is full of tall saguaro cacti and this is a fantastically scenic country.

After crossing the open desert, I entered a canyon cut into some low-lying volcanic hills. The petroglyphs started immediately and there were far more of them than I expected. This is an impressive site. As I hiked down the canyon, the walls of both sides were covered in petroglyphs. In one rock shelter, I spotted some pictographs; that faded beyond recognition by exposure to the elements. The false color of DStretch imagery brought the symbols out.

I expected to see a spring or some source of water here, but I didn’t. If you venture out into this desolate wilderness, be sure to bring some water with you.