Pahranagat:  In the Paiute language means "Valley of Shining Water"

Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1964 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and is located approximately 90 miles north of Las Vegas Nevada.  The refuge is about 5,300 acres consisting of lakes, marshes, wet meadows, and upper desert, and is an essential stopover for waterfowl and songbirds as they migrate south in the winter and north in the spring.  In addition to the wildlife, the area is home to an outstanding petroglyph site which the "U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service" does its best not to advertise.

There are only a few places in Nevada where the "Pahranagat Man" (pictured in the photo above) can be easily seen, and the Black Canyon site is the most accessible of these locations.  The highway cuts through the site with the majority of the petroglyphs on the east side of the road.  The Black Canyon petroglyph site can be viewed on our other web site by using the link at the bottom of this page.

The Pahranagat Wildlife Refuge Headquarters is on the west side of Highway 93, approximately 7 miles south of Alamo, Nevada; or if going north on Highway 93, it is just before you reach mile marker 32.  The safest place to park is on the west side of the highway on the dirt road leading to the Wildlife Headquarters (see photos below).

Left photo:  Entrance to Refuge Headquarters.  Right photo:  The Refuge office is about .4 of a mile down this road.  You may want to check in with them before visiting the rock art sites.  This is also the area where you should park your vehicle.

Left photo:  This is looking north on Hwy 93 with the refuge sign in the middle of the photo and the Refuge Headquarters out of frame to the left (west).  The arrows are pointing to the general location of the petroglyph sites which are located on both sides of the highway.  Right photo:  The hill on the right (east side of highway) has rock art intermittently going all the way around to the back side of the hill. 

Left photo:  A closer look at the hill on the west side of the Hwy 93.  You can just make out the refuge entrance sign next to the highway.  The petroglyphs are located along the rocks facing the road (arrow) and a few more are on the top of the hill.  Right photo:  The hill on the east side of the highway.  Many of the petroglyphs are located on the rocks facing the highway (left arrow) and in the rocks near the right arrow.  The east hill actually has isolated clusters of petroglyphs going all the way around the hill, plus there is an amphitheater-like area around the back side that has more rock art.  

Caution: For safety, park only on the road leading to the Refuge Headquarters.  Do NOT park on the shoulder of the highway as vehicles traveling at over 70 mph are the norm in this area.