This particular area in and around the town of Gila bend has so many sites of both ancient and recent cultural interests. Although considered a Hohokam rock art site, This area is on the extreme western edge of the Hohokam cultural area. East of the area, petroglyphs take on more typical Hohokam characteristics, while petroglyphs farther west take on more Patayan characteristics. Found here and in nearby areas of the Gila River are petroglyphs of Archaic origin. The whole area along the Colorado and Gila River has.large amount of indigenous culture from cultural markings to ruins. In terms of more recent Western pioneer involvement this area bears the inscriptions of historic passers-by. Juan Bautista de Anza passed near here during his 1775-1776 expedition, followed by the Mormon Battalion in the 1840s, the Butterfield Overland Mail, and countless numbers of pioneers. During World War II, General George Patton used this area as headquarters for tank training. There's also the Oatman pioneer cemetery. There is little protection for the area from vandals and there is some push to make the area on National Monument. read more

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Sometimes I wonder what is that sign from the side of the road, stating Painted Rock Petroglyph along the I-8 freeway going into Gila Bend. At this time, I was curious and checked it out. To get there, just follow the sign. The road is paved but entering the Painted Rock Petroglyph it will be dirt. The entrance fee is $3 and there is a box to pay to get in. It is on an honor system. Along the area, there are desert camping amenities and camping overnight is $8. The Painted Rock Petroglyph Site is magnificent on how the first people who habitat the land recorded their living. There are more recent carvings from people who passed through the site and there are informational plaques around that tell the history of the area. read more

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As a desert rat, I found this place to be underwhelming. The campground was just gravel spots with concrete picnic tables. They tables were too hot to even sit at! The $8 reservation fee for an $8 camp spot is highway robbery! Save the 22 miles going out of your way and find a spot nearer the freeway. With no services (the pit toilets reeked!) you are better off saving the time, miles and money and staying somewhere else. The other reviews we found sounded like they were written by blm staffers! read more

If you would like to toast marshmallows and view petroglyphs, you can do it here at Painted Rock Petroglyph Site. Located about 12 miles west of Gila Bend, on a dirt road north of Interstate 8's exit 102, a convenient campground hugs the compact mound of petroglyph site. You won't have to build up a strenuous sweat -- let the 120-degree summer heat do that for you -- because a short path takes you up and over the mound of petroglyphs that appear in full view. The Hohokam people inhabited this area from 7500 BCE to AD 1450 and you will see their images carved into the stone all around you. read more

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I was not nearly as impressed with this place or the petroglyphs as some of the other reviewers. It's basically just a small hill of boulders with some "painted rocks" and a short trail around them. It's not really worth going out of your way to visit but if you have some extra time or special interest, it's only 11 miles off the interstate and won't take you very long to see all that's here. There is a day area and a campground; both ask for payment for use. read more

Painted Rock Petroglyph Site - Parks Near Me - Dateland, Arizona

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After a great disappointment of visiting a place named monument but no actual monument, we decided to come and see real rocks. Once you get off the highway, you will be on unpaved road for about 5 miles. Absolutely don't go in the summer! We walked around the trail under 103 degrees. There are picnic tables and barbecue grills. There's restroom facility but no hand wash. But the park provides dog waste bags :) Overall this could be a nice place to visit if it's on your way! read more

First of all, if you put the directions in Google maps, it will tell you to cross the Gila River which you do not need to. It's actually NOT on S Rocky Point Rd, but just on Rocky Point Rd. Just put it in google maps as Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and it will take you to the right place. This place is in the middle of nowhere. We came here last week on a whim as we were traveling out of PHX back to CA and wanted to take a detour. We found this randomly and thought it looked cool. Upon arrival there are signs that tell you where the campgrounds are and we pulled up to find NO ONE there. We had the entire campground to ourselves. It was really nice. The grounds are very flat and there is really no shade anywhere. Definitely don't go during the summer months, like we did, because the 5am sunrise will wake you up and it will be scorching soon after. We arrived late in the evening and left early morning so didn't have too much of a problem although it was still quite hot during the night. In the morning when we woke up we explored the petroglyph site which we walked right over to from our campsite. The site is seriously AMAZING. It was so eerie to see all of the etchings from the Hohokam people as well as the late pioneers who passed through this area. It was really interesting to see all the different carvings and somewhat experience what life would have been like for people in this area (when the river was not diverted). Overall, my friend and I both agreed that this kind of out of the way detour was totally worth it for us. This was not something you see or experience everyday, and if you're interested in history and nature it's the perfect combo. read more

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Underwhelming. If you go left you see them right away. Go right and you have to walk all the way around. Kind of cool to see some things so ancient but not much information about them. read more

Petroglyphs are always intriguing because you start to think about the people who lived in the area hundreds of years ago. The painted rocks themselves are a very short walk from the large parking lot. They are bunched together, so the walk around the rock pile is not long. There are benches around the area. While the petroglyphs bring people there, what is an extra benefit is the quietness of the location. It's a camping area operated by the Bureau of Land Management that charges on the honor system, with a receipt box at the entrance. There are a few covered picnic tables. It's a remote drive and a remote location, but worth a side trip -- or even a night of quiet and stars. read more

Camped in a tent here for five days while hunting snakes, and desert reptiles. Amazing petroglyphs on huge boulder piles. Even pieces of Native American pottery here and there. I photographed and caught a Chuckwalla by hand.. then released it unharmed.. read more

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"So dude - let's get totally blotto on some really good peyote and hang out all day and draw all sorts of weird shit on rocks and stuff. We're gonna have a blast - I totally promise!! And just think what folks in the future are gonna think when they see this! I know just the place to do it too!!!" Ok. That's probably not what really happened. Yes - it was a joke - just so those of you slightly more politically-correct than I am don't hang me from a tree or nail me to one. So I was heading down the I8 towards Yuma and came on this exit (102) for Painted Rock road - also something about a petroglyph site. So I took the exit and made a right turn going north. You pass by the Solana Generating Station built by Abengoa Solar - said to be the largest parabolic trough plant in the world. Then you dodge tumbleweeds and the occasional truck operated by some local on the local moonshine - I had to nearly stop when going around a blind curve because an Einstein was speeding and taking up more than their half of the road. So 11 miles of turns, dips, and nothingness later you finally get to the site. You see a sign that tells you to turn if you're going to the petroglyph site. You drive a quarter mile more or so and then it becomes unpaved road the short distance till you get to the parking area. Just before you enter there is a box with envelopes that you put your 2 buck bribe in. It's actually for parking. But there's all this stuff to fill out on the envelope itself - name, rank, serial number, next of kin, yelp handle, etc. Actually I didn't really read it - it was all just bureaucratic BS and while I was there a woman that was with the US Dept Of The Interior Bureau Of Land Management that oversees this place was refilling the envelopes so I asked her if I really needed to fill out all the info and she laughed and said "no - you're good." Hey - you never know with these govt types - miss one of those blanks on the form and your car gets towed while you're out taking pictures of petroglyphs because you didn't read the fine print. So there's another box to actually put in your envelope with the two bucks and then you're good to enter. Usually there isn't anybody around so it's all honor system - but who'd want to incur the wrath of I'itoi/Man In The Maze/Elder Brother/Sun God while out in the middle of nowhere anyway, right? So you can walk around a little hill with rocks all around but most of the petroglyphs seemed to be on the side facing the entrance and if you make a circle around the hill clockwise maybe the first 45 degrees of that circle. There are benches a bit further past the hill and also an outhouse. The outhouse is old school style so if you drop your phone in there by accident think of it as lava - it's GONE. Not sure what the "hours" are for this place but obviously you wanna come here while there's enough light to take pictures. Check it out if you're into the petroglyph thing. read more

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Really nice rustic place, about 11 miles off the freeway. There are trails around, and shade for the 8 picnic tables available. It is not staffed, but there is a visitor register you can fill out. The bathrooms exist, but they are not the flush type, and bring your own paper. There are signs about the history of the place, which were informative and in both English and Spanish. A nice diversion off the beaten path. read more

Cool lil stop while on our way to Yuma, AZ. Nice stop area for a picnic as there are tables to use.

Tempe stay with some free time led me to seek out this place. It was somewhat easy access once you got there, but fill up on gas, carry water, snack, cell phone, and watch your car doesn't overheat, it was 110 when I got there. Parking, unmanned pay box, rough cement bathrooms but serviceable. The walk around trail was nice, and once you found the right side there were MANY nice petroglyphs! I'd have spent more time there but it was dang hot for first part of May. Worth the visit. read more