Overview

The Mt. Irish Archeological District is a large area with many boulder piles and low bands of cliffs covered with petroglyphs. Shaman Knob is one of the major public petroglyph sites in the district and consists of an isolated boulder pile with great views all around. Native peoples etched an extensive array of nice petroglyphs on the rocks here, and they did a little bit of painting too. The BLM placed four numbered markers around the site, and the BLM and Lincoln County each produced brochures describing the numbered petroglyph panels (BLM brochure; Lincoln County brochure).

While visiting this site, please take care of the area and leave it as you found it for the enjoyment of future generations.

Location

The Mt. Irish Archeological District is located in the Pahranagat Valley, about 110 miles north of Las Vegas. Details of the location, access routes, and GPS coordinates are presented on the Mt. Irish Archeological District page.

The Hike

The sign-in register (Table 1, Site SK-Register) is located adjacent to the parking area on the south side of Shaman Knob. From the register, the short Shaman Knob Trail leads hikers through a gap in the rocks and around to the backside making a loop to the left. From the sign-in register, Marker #1 (Site SK-01) is just left of the register, and Marker 2 (Site SK-02) is in the gap in the middle of the knob. Marker #3 (Site SK-03) and Marker #4 (Site SK-04) are through the gap and around the backside of Shaman Knob to the left, and Site NE is a bit right of Site 4. Site SE is not on the regular trail; rather, it is on the southeast corner of Shaman Knob. For details of that trail, see Shaman Knob Trail.