Very Important:
The driving directions to this site have not been updated since late 2006 There is an excellent chance that the roads and/or road conditions have changed significantly. Contact the BLM, Forest Service, Park Service or whomever, to get the most up-to-date road and trail information.
Crystal Wash Rock Art Sites:
Site 1 is accessible with caution by passenger car in dry weather. The site parking is about 100 yards from Hwy 93.
Site 2 is accessible with caution by a "higher" clearance passenger vehicle in dry weather. Do not try when road is wet or muddy, you will get stuck. Use caution, drive slow as the road has some ruts and sandy spots. It is approximately .6 of a mile from the pavement to the site parking area.
The Crystal Wash Rock Art Site, which is typical of much Great Basin rock art, is actually a small network of interrelated sites. The predominant style at Crystal Wash is the Great Basin Pecked Style. This includes the substyles of Great Basin Representational, Great Basin Curvilinear Abstract, and Great Basin Rectilinear Abstract. In addition, there are also some small traces of the Great Basin Painted Style.
Location:
Site 1: Take Hwy 93 north from Alamo. Approximately 3.15 miles past the intersection of SR 318 and Hwy 93, you will see a dirt road going north off of Hwy 93. Take the dirt road a short distance to a parking area.
Site 2: (Main Site) Take Hwy 93 north from Alamo. Approximately 4.2 miles past the intersection of SR 318 and Hwy 93 (about .8 of a mile past site 1), you will see a dirt road going north off of Hwy 93. Take the dirt road approximately .6 of a mile to the parking area.
If you observe any damage or vandalism occurring at this site, please call the BLM Ely Field Office at (775) 289-1800
| Click here for topo map Site 1 & 2 (GPS info) | |
| Click here for BLM map Site 1 | Click here for BLM map Site 2 |
All mileages and coordinates given on this web site are approximate.
Use common sense and caution when following any directions. If it does not look right, don't do it.
Disclaimer to keep my butt out of the proverbial wringer: Check with multiple sources to make sure all your information is up-to-date and accurate. Do not rely on only one source (such as our web site) to be the final word. Contact the BLM, Forest Service, Park Service or whomever, to get the most up-to-date road and trail information. Things can, and do, change very rapidly in the desert due to road construction, flash flooding, and other natural and/or man-made causes. Do the prudent thing and check before you venture out. Also please view the information on our "A Few Tips for Hiking in the Desert" page.
The use of a GPS is strongly recommended on this trip.
The approximate mileages given in this section are to be used as reference only. I strongly recommend that you use the "mileage" along with the GPS coordinates and the photographs. The mileages given are to be used as an adjunct to the GPS data. Because of several side roads and forks in the road, using the mileage alone can be confusing.
"Site 1 Entrance Site"
From the intersection of SR 318 and Hwy 93, traveling north-east on Hwy 93, it is approximately 3.15 miles to the turn off for Site 1. The site is on the north side of the road through the gate. Please note, if you find the gate closed, close it behind you. Leave the gate as you found it. The parking area for the site is about 300' from Hwy 93.
Left photo: Looking towards the gate from Hwy 93 at the turn-off for the site. Right photo: The gate.
The parking area and the sign-in kiosk are about 300' from Hwy 93
"Site 2 Main Site"
Site 2 "Main Site" is about 4.2 miles from the intersection of SR 318 and Hwy 93 just past mile marker 55, or about .8 of a mile (east of) from the entrance to Site 1
The entrance to this site is much easier to find that site 1. It is located at the pullout next to the trash container on the north side of the road. The jeep is sitting on the road to the site in the left photo. The right photo is from the trash container looking back south across the road .
Left photo: The gate (about 100' from the highway). After going through the gate, stay to the left and DO NOT follow the road going along the fence line. Right photo: Keep right at the fork. This is about 300' from the gate.
Left Photo: Stay with the main tracks and bear to the left. If you don't make this left, you will end up heading an easterly direction. From the fork in the left photo you are approximately .4 of a mile from the parking area.
Parking area and sign-in Kiosk. The distance from the highway to the parking area is approximately .66 of a mile
The first petroglyph panel is right at the parking area.
Crystal Wash Maps
The weather below is from the closest town or city
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