McCoy Mountains Petroglyphs

The last thing we felt like doing on the late afternoon that we hiked out from the McCoy Spring Petroglyphs was to move our campsite.  We had just hiked over ten miles and spent four hours scrambling around the McCoy Spring site.  However, we had a plan.  When we were researching the McCoy Spring site we came across some clues that seemed to point to another petroglyph location in the area.  Even though there was no confirmation of our hunch, we had decided to shift our campsite tonight, so that Sunday morning we would be within hiking distance.
 
The drive back from the Palen-McCoy Wilderness boundary was a slow one, but at least we were sitting down!  Another old stone cabin, like the one we had seen on the road we drove in on yesterday, came into view in the lengthening shadows.  Then, just before dusk, we arrived at our location and set up camp while the setting sun provided a fantastic light show.  Although a cold wind blew most of the night, morning found us ready to hit the trail again to prove or disprove our guess.
 
On our way in, we came across a mine with two tunnels.  After a bit of exploring we continued on. We came across some historic graffiti, probably carved into the rocks by miners who prospected in the area.  Then we could discern what seemed to be several old Indian trails in the area, a good sign!  A cryptic message from Niki on our two way radio let me know that she had spotted them!  Up on the hillside, on either side of a deep natural cleft in the rock, was a nice collection of petroglyphs.  We hiked around the area, but with the exception of one petroglyph boulder that seemed to be used as a trail marker down on the flats, we could find no more.  I was intrigued by a trail that seemed to be headed for a low pass in the distant hills.  We may have to go back and see where that trail goes to!  Click on the photo link below to check out our discovery.
 
Click here for photos.