[Gimpilator]

Civilian public access is extremely limited on the China Lake Naval Weapons Base. It was not easy to plan this hike. The following text is an excellent summary copied from www.petroglyphs.us, to accompany these photos.

The Coso Range is situated between the Sierra Nevada’s on the west and the Argus Range to the east. Owens Lake lies to the north and Indian Wells Valley lies to the south. This north–south trending range of about 400 square miles consists of rhyolitic domes and outcrops of volcanic rock. Annual rainfall is less than 20 inches and much of the habitable areas are around 6000’ elevation.

Also known as Little Petroglyph Canyon and Sand Tanks, Renegade Canyon is but one of several major canyons in the Coso Range, each hosting thousands of petroglyphs. The 91 square miles encompassing the major canyons contain approximately 100,000 petroglyphs; this is the highest concentration of petroglyphs in North America. The majority of the Coso Range images thus far cataloged fall into one of six categories: bighorn sheep, entopic images (images created by the optic nerve while in a trance like state), anthropomorphic or human-like figures (usually male), other animals, weapons & tools, and “medicine bag” images. Fortunately for the petroglyphs, most of the Coso Range is on the China Lakes Naval Weapons Base, visitation is restricted, vandalism is low, and preservation is most likely.

Renegade Canyon itself is a rock and sand bottom wash sloping downhill east to west, is approximately 1.3 miles in length, ranges between 5 and 200 feet in width, and is lined by canyon walls 10 to 50 feet and higher. Concentrated panels and isolated petroglyphs of animals, abstracts and ornate anthropomorphs occur all along the length of the canyon. Petroglyph dating using the latest technology has provided dates as old as 16,000 years, as recent as the 1800's, and includes a progression of dates in between. The preponderance of bighorn sheep petroglyphs in the Coso Range is attributed to Great Basin shaman who would come here from as far away as Utah to commune with the spirit world. Bighorns are the specialized spirit helper of the rain shaman and many bighorn petroglyphs are thought to represent ‘spirit sheep’ used in rainmaking activities.

[Ski]

excellent. please post more. (I know you took more photos than those.) amazing that they're kept in pristine condition. you are very lucky. the images with the colored lichens are particularly striking. if I may: it should be noted that no North American aboriginal people had a word for "art", and the concept of "art" as we know it today was unknown to them. something to think about. thank you very much. really hope to see more. bk (somebody really spent some time on that image in #45)

[Malachai Constant]

I lived on base in the late 70's and at that time you either had to work there or be a university connected researcher to look at these. We 4x4ed out there on weekends. Fascinating place. Lots of tortoises and old mines out there. You can still see the tracks where Patton practiced tank tactics in WWII.

[Redwic]

Awesome TR and photos. My favorite TR of the year, so far.

[John Morrow]

Love it! From atlatls to bows and arrows....must have been a long span of time.

[Jim Dockery]

Thanks for the info and great pics