Overview

Keyhole Canyon is an Archeological area with many petroglyphs and a few pictographs (collectively referred to as Rock Stories). Most of the petroglyphs are geometric symbols rather than representations of physical things, but a few petroglyphs depict bighorn sheep, lizards, and humans.

Access is via a set of fairly good, graded 2WD dirt roads, (collectively referred to as Keyhole Canyon Road). The first mile or so is a bit bouncy (like moguls on a ski slope), but there are no rocks and little loose gravel. The next part, a powerline road, is a fine, maintained dirt road. The last part provides three choices of two-track roads. High-clearance vehicles should have no problem with the three, and carefully driven sedans might make it too. A 4WD vehicle is not required. Cell phones might work at the end of the road, but don't get stuck in the loose gravel at the mouth of the canyon.

Links to Road Map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...these roads are entirely safe in appropriate vehicles. Carefully driven sedans should be okay, at least to within 0.35 miles of the petroglyph site. Medium clearance, 2WD vehicles should be fine, except perhaps for the loose gravel right at the mouth of the canyon.

Be sure that your vehicle is in good working condition, carry plenty of water, pack a lunch, and drive slowly and carefully. Time changes road conditions, so always use your own good judgment.

While out, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. This road goes into remote areas, so be sure to bring the 10 Essentials.

Location

Keyhole Canyon Road is located on BLM land between Boulder City and Searchlight off Highway 95. From Las Vegas, drive south on Highway 93/95 towards Boulder City. Nearing Boulder City, the highway becomes Interstate 11. Exit right onto Highway 95 southbound and drive towards Searchlight. Highway 95 becomes divided after a few miles.

Keyhole Canyon Road is 15.5 miles south of I-11. Watch for El Dorado Valley Road (the last road with a street sign), then continue another 3.2 miles to an unnamed road (Keyhole Access Road) on the left. There are no other roads in the vicinity. Watch for a highway sign indicating a road intersection, but no road name. There is a short slow-down lane.

Carefully watching the rear-view mirror, slow down (this is a 70 mph zone) and exit left at the highway cross-over. Check carefully for northbound traffic, and cross to the east side of the divided highway.

The Road

Off the pavement (Table 1, Site 1220), Keyhole Canyon Road goes through the barbwire highway fence at a white cattle guard with a "Limited Use Area" sign. Just over the cattle guard, a carsonite sign announces "Designated Open Road, Road S, 25 mph." This area is part of the Boulder City Conservation Area.

On Keyhole Canyon Road, the road runs east. The first mile or so of the road is a bit bouncy (like moguls on a ski slope), but there are few rocks. At about 2.1 miles out, the road reaches a T-intersection (Site 1221) between the second and third sets of high-tension power lines.

At the T-intersection, Keyhole Canyon Road turns right onto the graded powerline road, which is a private road; note the sign about public use. This part of Keyhole Access Road runs south as a well-maintained road. At about 1.8 miles from the intersection, the first (Site 1222) of three two-track roads fork off to the left. This point is about 0.35 miles from the petroglyphs; read about the three choices before picking one.

The first road (Site 1222; Road 1) runs southeast for 0.35 miles to the parking area at the mouth of the canyon (Site 0928). This road has some loose gravel and crosses Keyhole Wash at the mouth of the canyon before gaining firmer ground at the parking area on the south side of the wash. This road was fine for my big pickup in 2WD.

The second road (Road 2), 0.15 miles south of the first road, runs right up the gravel along Keyhole Wash; the loose gravel is fine for driving downhill, but loose gravel always make me nervous. This road also gains the higher and firmer ground of the parking area on the south side of the wash.

The third road (Road 3), 0.27 miles south of the first road (across Keyhole Wash), is narrow and a bit rocky, but it is the firmest of the three. There is no loose gravel, but someone might need to walk ahead of a sedan and kick the larger rocks off the road. This road ends at the parking area and does not go into the loose gravel.

The parking area is at the base of the granite cliffs and marked by a post-and-cable fence. Visitors can walk through the gate and into Keyhole Canyon, but using binoculars, lots of petroglyphs can be seen from the parking area.