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Petroglyph Canyons Review

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Petroglyph Canyons

Address: Tours depart from Maturango Museum, Ridgecrest, CA | Map It
Phone: 760/375-6900
www.maturango.org

Category: Canyon
Location: Ridgecrest

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Fodor's Review:

Guided tours conducted by the Maturango Museum are the only way to see Petroglyph Canyons, among the desert's most amazing spectacles. The two canyons, commonly called Big Petroglyph and Little Petroglyph, are in the Coso Mountain Range on the million-acre U.S. Naval Weapons Center at China Lake. Each of the canyons holds a superlative concentration of ancient rock art, the largest of its kind in the Northern Hemisphere. Thousands of well-preserved images of animals and humans—some more than 16,000 years old—are scratched or pecked into dark basaltic rocks. The tour takes you through 3 mi of sandy washes and boulders, so wear comfortable walking shoes. At an elevation of 5,000 feet, weather conditions can be quite extreme, so dress in layers and bring plenty of drinking water (none is available at the site) and snacks. Children under 10 are not allowed on the tour. The military requires everyone to produce a valid driver's license, social security number, passport, and vehicle registration before the trip (nondrivers must provide a birth certificate).

Cost: $35
Open: Museum daily 10-5. Tours Feb.-June and Sept. or Oct.-early Dec.; call for tour times

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