Over the years I have had fun with quests finding the Petroglyphs that are in the Owens Valley and the Tablelands. The first quest started with some photography friends; Paul, George, Kahlee, Nate, Dave, and some others. We were at a meet up in Lone Pine when I convinced them we should try and find the Petroglyphs near Keeler. We looked near and far and came up empty. Over the course of next few summers I finally found a Ranger that gave me the clues that allowed me to find them.

You see most people won't tell you exact directions to where they are. If you are nice they will give you clues. That's it clues. Giving just clues are done for good reason. The Petroglyphs are treasures, looks into the past, some 6,000 years old. Some folks don't do well in respecting how valuable they are. They either vandalize them or put their own mark next to them to try and become immortal themselves. That mark will only get folks extremely mad and they will be cursed at for the next 5,000 years . So to find these sites you have to do your research on the internet and talk to people to get clues. Then you weave it all together to guess where they are. Finally, you have to go out and look.

It took me three or four years and multiple hikes to find Sky Rock and then I found it by sheer luck. One time I was sure I was on the right path and ran into some rock climbers and we started to talk. I told them what I was looking for and they looked at me funny. She then told me “most people don't access that site using this trail.” Now that was the nicest way that I have ever been told that I am on the wrong freakin' trail! But she was kind and gave me some clues. "Try the trail about a half mile down." She then gave me the clue worth a million bucks. She said “once up the slope get up on the top of the rocks because you won't see it from the trail.” Without that clue I think I would still be looking.

Now that I had found the petroglyphs at Sky Rock, Fish Slough, and Keeler I thought I had only have a couple more to go. The elusive ones for me were the Thirteen Moons and Chalfant Petroglyphs. I am pretty sure I now know where the Thirteen Moons is and I just have to plan a hike to find them. Chalfant was another story. A lot of people know where they are. After those idiots cut parts of the petroglyphs out with chain saws no one tells you where they are. They just look at you and smile and say no I don't know where they are. Not even any clues.

Well I did my research. I found a web sight with some detail and then found an old Zerox directions sheet the visitors office gave me years ago. The directions were not that precise. Drive x miles from Bishop, turn left, and go to the end of the road. That's it.

Unfortunately, I was coming from Benton Crossing not Bishop so I had to guess the distance. The road that I thought was the one, wasn't. In the drive down however we passed a road that fit my memory of the internet site's info. So we took a gamble and down the road we went. It was the road! There were the Chaflant Petroglyphs! I felt like I had just won the Kentucky Derby! They were beautiful! I don't think I have used that many exclamation points in a row in my lifetime. But finding those elusive petroglyphs was that exciting to me.

Anyone See a Petrified Crow in the Picture

There was an added bonus that day. A storm was coming in and the clouds were putting on a show. I took some pictures of the clouds at the petroglyph site. Then stopped several times on the way home to take more pictures. In hindsight, I did not stop enough. There was one scene where the clouds had turned gold. They were so bright their reflection turned the water in Crowley Lake gold as well. It was gorgeous and I did no stop. Still kicking myself. Oh well.

As we drove back to Mammoth it looked like it was already snowing in town. It was and we preceded to get 6-8 inches of snow that night and the next day. It was beautiful but it was cold and I was not anxious to put on chains. So we stayed in and enjoyed the fireplace. So no fresh snow pictures for Christmas cards.

Back at home started doing more research on the petroglyphs and read there are like 400 petroglyphs in Red Canyon. Hmmm… I have another quest to go along with finally finding the thirteen moons! Stay tuned.

Bob Kent Photography

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Quests in the Owens Valley are Fun