Overview

The Petroglyph Wall Trail is a short walk from the Willow Springs Picnic Area to a rock-art site at the base of the cliffs just across Red Rock Wash. The trail is too short (0.15 miles) to call it a hike, but it is an interesting place to visit. For people driving the Scenic Loop Road, this makes a nice place to stop, stretch your legs, and spend a few minutes walking in the desert. There is much more rock art hanging on the walls of Red Rock Canyon, but you'll have to search for it. While looking about, notice that the cliffs on both sides of the canyon are in designated wilderness area: the Rainbow Mountain Wilderness Area behind the petroglyphs, and the La Madre Mountain Wilderness Area on the other side of the canyon.

This site includes petroglyphs (artwork pecked into the rock) and pictographs (paintings).

Link to map.

Watch Out

Other than the standard warnings about hiking in the desert, ...this is a pretty safe hike, but it is not what one would call an accessible trail. Please respect the Native American sites and don't deface them; they are part of the history of this land, and when they are gone, they are gone forever.

While hiking, please respect the land and the other people out there, and try to Leave No Trace of your passage. Also, even though this is a short hike, be sure to bring what you need of the 10 Essentials.

Getting to the Trailhead

This hike is located along the Scenic Loop Road in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 45 minutes west of Las Vegas. Drive out to Red Rocks, pay the fee, and then drive about half-way around the Scenic Loop Road to Willow Spring Road. Turn right and drive north 0.6 miles to the end of the pavement and the Willow Springs Trailhead. Park here; this is the trailhead.

The Hike

Just past the end of the pavement, but before the dirt turn-around loop, a small sign on the left (west) side of the dirt parking area marks the start of the trail. From the trailhead (Table 2, Waypoint 1), the trail runs northwest past several singleleaf pinyon pines towards the wash, staying to the left of a pole fence that borders the dirt turn-around loop.

At the edge of the wash, the trail switchbacks to the southwest and drops into the wash. Bending back to the northwest, the trail climbs out of the wash on a well-defined trail. A few yards farther, the trail ends at a pole fence (Wpt. 2) that blocks access to the base of the cliff. The rock art is behind the fence.

A sign provides information about the petroglyphs (to the right on the open rock face) and the pictographs (to the left under the overhang).

Follow your footprints back to the trailhead.