Coso Rock Art District
USA · Americas
The greatest concentration of petroglyphs in North America — tens of thousands of bighorn sheep pecked into basalt.
Age
up to ~10,000 yrs
Period
Archaic to Late Prehistoric
Setting
Open-air
Art form
Petroglyphs
Discovered
1930
Status
Open (Guided Tours)
In the volcanic canyons of the Coso Range in California, tens of thousands of petroglyphs form the densest rock-art landscape in North America. Big-horn sheep dominate alongside elaborate patterned shamans, likely tied to hunting magic. The area lies on a naval weapons station and is visited only on guided tours.
Notable Features
- ◦ Densest petroglyph field in North America
- ◦ Tens of thousands of bighorn sheep
- ◦ Patterned-body shaman figures
Depicted Subjects
Bighorn SheepAnthropomorphsHunting Scenes
Plan a Visit
AccessThis cave can be visited.
BookingAdvance booking required — places are limited
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.