Little Black Mountain Petroglyph Site
- Alex Cabrero
- Nov 30, 2023
- 4 min read
(St. George) Technically, this hidden wonder is in Arizona... but barely. If you sneezed, you’d land back in St. George. And since most people who visit come here from the Utah side anyway, I'm claiming this one for my Utah Adventures site :)
This is one of these places that is so still, it feels like when you visit time takes a deep breath and holds it. That’s exactly how it felt when Kylie, Timber, and I visited the Little Black Mountain Petroglyph Site. Kylie had heard about this one when she was in St. George for work and figured I would love to visit it. She was right. It's just one of those timeless places that really makes you think about your place in the world and how we're on this planet for just a minute.
The site itself is ancient. There are more than 500 rock-art designs etched into the boulders at the base of a crumbly 500-foot mesa. These petroglyphs were chiseled by people who lived here thousands of years ago. Some of these petroglyphs are older than written history. It made me just stand there and stare. I was thinking how not much has changed in this little pocket of the world.
There were spiral shapes and animal looking etchings, as well as what I think could be people and maps. Maybe I was looking at the first prehistoric meme and didn't know it. We had the place completely to ourselves when we visited. It's a few miles down a dirt road from a neighborhood right at the Utah-Arizona line. It was bumpy for a good part of the drive, but I think almost any vehicle could handle it.
The Bureau of Land Management oversees the area and when you get to the dirt parking lot, you'll see the sign for the site, as well as a gazebo, picnic table, and a fancy pit toilet. It's federal land at its finest.
When we got there, it was so quiet. My ears started to ring because it wasn't to hear something. It just added to the magic of the place. I even whispered to Timber, “You know they made these petroglyphs before the first squeaky toy and pup cups, right?" She didn’t laugh. She was too busy exploring the place herself with her wiggling nose leading the way.
The walk itself is very easy. There’s a groomed dirt path with some crushed rock in places. Strollers and wheelchairs might have a tough go of it, but I think most people will find the trail as simple as it gets. There are even some spots that have a metal ramp and platform so you can get a good look at the petroglyphs that are higher on some rocks.
From the parking lot, the trail is like the letter T. We walked up, went left, then backtracked and went right before returning to the parking lot. It's probably about a mile total if you including some wandering.
One note: don’t forget water. There’s none out here unless you count the sweat dripping down your back in the summer heat. Kylie and I were thinking about that when we were visiting in November. We were happy it wasn't that hot because this site gets that harsh desert heat that's tough to escape from.
If you stay long enough, you can almost hear the stories in the rocks. I'm sure some petroglyphs had ceremonial or calendar purpose, using light and shadow to mark seasons. Others might just be what passed for graffiti back then, kind of like "Kokopelli was here.”
Regardless of what the etchings are for, it was clear this was and still is a sacred space. I even had the thought of rocks falling from the mountain above and wondering how many petroglyphs have been lost to time because they're underneath a large slab of rock that broke away? There just be some, right?
I think this site is perfect for those who love ancient rock are. Even if you're not, it's a great spot to visit and worth the short drive. Ancient doodles in the desert always get me excited. Pack a lunch, bring a camera, and lose track of time staring at rock art that’s been whispering stories for thousands of years. Just please don’t touch the petroglyphs. Seriously. Let’s not be the generation that messes up 6,000 years of rock-solid storytelling.
DIRECTIONS: Take the Southern Parkway to River Road Exit. Take River Road south into Arizona for 0.3 miles. Turn left and follow the un-improved routes for 4.5 miles.
-OR-
Take the Southern Parkway (Highway 9) to Warner Valley Exit 10. Take two rights onto the frontage road and drive south for 4.2 miles. Turn right following the road 0.1 miles around the ranch. At the stateline, turn right onto BLM 1124 and follow 2.3 miles to the site.
GPS COORDINATES:
36.982636, -113.503029
RANGER STATION INFORMATION ON ROAD CONDITIONS:
(435) 688-3200
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