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The
Trip: The town of Alamo acts as a hub and service center for much of Pahranagat Valley. It is a friendly community with a café, grocery store, church, motels and service stations located about 75 miles northeast of Las Vegas. In Feburary1866, the Nevada legislature created Lincoln County. The first county seat was Crystal Springs, probably because there was a stage station there. In March 1866, Gov. Henry Blasdel traveled to the area to organize the new county. This foray into the wilderness frontier nearly proved fatal for the governor and his party. It was thought that the group perished because for three months there was no communication from the group. But they eventually straggled into Pahranagat Mining District, a bit worse for the wear but alive. The irony of the harrowing adventure is that the governor discovered that the sparsely populated Lincoln County did not meet the legal requirements for a county. So Lincoln County was suspended for one year, and in 1867 the area was properly organized and the county seat moved to nearby Hiko.
On the first part of our trip, we leave Alamo and head north on Highway 93 for the White River Petroglyph Archaeological Site. On the way we pass the Key Pitman Wildlife Management Area. We also pass though Hiko. It remains a rich agricultural area but little remains from its day as the county seat.
Back on Highway 93, we head north again where we meet up with Mark Henderson and Nate Thomas, two Bureau of Land Management archaeologists. Our first stop is the north entrance to the White River Narrows Archaeological District. White River Narrows Archeological District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The area features great rock art and very scenic rhyolite cliffs. Next, we head south on Highway 93 and just after Hiko, turn west onto a dirt road. Our destination is Mount Irish. It’s a rough and rocky eight-mile drive to the closest rock art panel. The Mount Irish Petroglyph Site contains numerous petroglyphs in an area of about 8 miles. Many of the interesting petroglyphs are within hiking distance from the road
After thanking Mark and Nate for showing us some incredible examples of rock art, we say goodbye and head back towards Alamo. Though we still have one last petroglyph site to visit. It’s a short drive back to our last rock art site. The Ash Springs Rock Art Site located about 5 miles south of the Crystal Springs intersection. Pahranagat Valley has more to offer the curious traveler than petroglyphs. To the west of Alamo is an area of canyons, which beckon hikers. We explore an area known as Hell’s Bells Canyon, a canyon with steep rock walls and an abundance of wildflowers. Our last stop on this trip is the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge. The wildlife refuge is the valley’s crown jewel. The 5,300 acres of lakes, marshes, wet meadows and desert uplands provide an essential stopover refuge for a myriad of migrating wildlife. Throughout the spring, successions of birds arrive to fuel up before heading north. In the Paiute language, Pahranagat has many interpretations. One may be “Valley of Shining Waters.” As we explore the Upper Lake, we can appreciate the Paiute’s reverence for the area. Thanks to the advisors and contributors of Wild Nevada, Program #303:
Rock Art Etiquette When exploring rock art or petroglyoph sites, it is recommended that you have a comfortable pair of walking shoes (hiking boots or sneakers are preferable), comfortable clothes, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Also, keep a watch out for rattlesnakes. Never put your feet or hands where you cannot see them (i.e., in deep nooks and crannies of rocks and boulders while climbing). Most importantly — always bring water. Even though you may only plan to go for a short hike, be sure to always have water with you.
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