“Few places echo with as much historical resonance as the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site. For me, that beckoning amplifies with each visit. Although this low outcrop is a bit off the beaten path, it hosts one of North America’s densest concentrations of petroglyphs. Most of these were authored by ancestors of today’s Piipaash, O’odham, and Yavapai communities. Thousands of people come here each year to experience the past in ways that defy description—and you should come, too.
Currently administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is an important place in the future Great Bend of the Gila National Monument.”
—Aaron Wright
What will I see?
The Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and Campground is located approximately 90 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona. Visitors can see thousands of petroglyphs covering nearly 600 boulders. (Please do not climb on the boulders!) Overnight camping is allowed at the adjacent campground.
What else is nearby?
- Sears Point
- The Gatlin site (by appointment with the City of Gila Bend)
- Gila Bend Museum
Download a brochure here (opens as a PDF).
Download a printable visitor’s guide here (opens as a PDF).
Read recent reports about the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site:
- Assessing the Stability and Sustainability of Rock Art Sites: Insight from Southwestern Arizona
- A Site Condition Assessment of the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site, Southwestern Arizona (opens as a PDF)
Banner image by Paul Vanderveen
Details
Painted Rock Petroglyph Site
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Project The Great Bend of the Gila
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