This pictograph shelter forms part of a much larger habitation complex.

The pictographs themselves are not particularly special – in fact, some are fairly rudimentary – but the whole area is of archaeological interest because of midden fields and other evidence that this was an extensively used habitation site at one time. Across a small open space from this overhang there is another, much larger shelter, and while there are no pictographs in that second shelter the soot deposits on the ceiling shows that it was inhabited too.

The pottery sherds that archaeologists recovered at this site point to Serrano or Cahuilla occupation, dating from around a thousand or so years ago to historic times. The site also yielded lithic scatter and midden deposits, the later radiating away from the rock shelter.

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Many of the rock shelters in Joshua Tree National Park are at least partly formed by a natural erosion process called exfoliation. There are different theories as to how exactly this process works. The theory currents in favor is that it is caused by rain breaching the surface of the granite and interacting with the minerals in the rock, causing expansion which over time causes the surface to flake off.

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I first visited this site about three years ago in the dead of winter. During our first visit we encountered the remnants of a recent cold snap: little drifts of snow and frozen tanks of water.  Most people don’t associate Joshua Trees and towering White Tank granite boulders with snow, but if you visit Joshua Tree National Park at the right time you’re in for a surprising treat.

During that visit we crunched our way up the frozen washes. Instead of slogging through soft sand we were walking on top of frozen sand! We made our way past frozen pools of water and carefully scrambled over icy boulders. Granite is slick enough when dry – add a nice layer of ice on top and you risk your tailbone with every scramble.

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