Please Note:
Due to flooding in January 2005, the road through Rainbow Canyon is currently closed to public use (except locals) from just below Caliente going south to Elgin. As of late 2008 it has not been reopened, but the locals still drive the road from Elgin to Caliente.When the canyon reopens, the sites will be accessible by passenger car when entering from the north end through Caliente. If you make entrance from the south via the Kane Springs road, it would be advisable to call the Ely BLM office (775) 289-1800 for road conditions. Under normal circumstances Kane Springs road is a graded dirt road with a travel speed of 35 mph and no problem for passenger cars, but when it rains it is a mess and tends to wash out in places. Call ahead to be safe.
I strongly advise calling ahead to the Ely BLM Field Office at (775) 289-1800 for road conditions until the road repairs are completed.
All mileages and coordinates given on this web sites are approximate. Use common sense and caution when following any directions.
Rainbow Canyon: When the road reopens, the rock art sites will be accessible by passenger car; until that happens, I recommend a high-clearance vehicle. If you elect to travel Rainbow Canyon before the road repairs are completed, please be advised that you will encounter; "road closed" signs, major wash outs, pavement that stops and starts, and water over the road. Please click here for photographs of road conditions as of May 2007
Special Note: Kane Springs Road which is normally 38 miles of well-maintained dirt, now has about 18 miles of "washboard".
A little history: The petroglyphs / rock art in Rainbow Canyon were created by the Southern Paiute and the Fremont that were visiting the area. The Fremont had disappeared from the area by 1300 AD, but the Southern Paiute continued using the area until around the mid-1800's.
Things to keep in mind: Use caution when crossing the train tracks in this area. The trains are frequent and are hauling butt. There are domestic animals, cattle, and horses, so watch your speed. Currently the road has areas less than a one lane wide with frequent wash outs and sand over the road. A wash out here can mean a drop of 10' or more. Click here for a few photos
I entered from the south end; if you start in Caliente, you will need to reverse the directions.
Entering via Kane Springs Rd.
Traveling north on Hwy 93 towards Alamo NV, just past Lincoln Co. mile marker 7, you will see the sign to Elgin. Turn right and go east on Kane Springs Road for approximately 37.1 miles (or 38 miles according to the sign) to Elgin. At this time there is no distinct intersection for Rainbow Canyon (SR 317) and Kane Springs Rd. What you will see is an "easy" left turn to the north. At approximately where the dirt meets the old pavement will be our starting point. Until road construction is completed, the mileages will be a little vague.
Stop #1: Click here for details and GPS
Petroglyphs (approximately 1.9 miles north of the intersection of Kane Springs Rd. and Rainbow Canyon (SR 317)): Parking here may be a problem. Look for a boulder on the left (west) side of the road covered with petroglyphs, and also at the time we visited this site there was post with a marker labeled #4 about 30' from the boulder.
Stop #2: Click here for details and GPS
Petroglyphs (1.4 miles north of Stop 1): Watch for a dip in the road - a large concrete channel which allows water to go over the road - and just beyond the dip and up on the left side (west side), you will start seeing the rock art. The petroglyphs are scattered on the hillside from about 10' above the road to about 150' up the side of the hill. There are not a lot of petroglyphs, but some of them are nice.
Stop #3: Click here for details and GPS
Tunnel No. 5 (.6 miles from Stop 2): Just past the railroad bridge, look for a place to park near the railroad tracks. Walk towards Tunnel No. 5. Look west and uphill before the tunnel at the darkly stained rocks (desert varnish) strewn along the hillside you will find petroglyphs. There are also petroglyphs on the east side of the river near the cottonwood trees. There is one large boulder with glyphs on the top.
Stop #4: Click here for details and GPS
Grapevine Canyon Turn (2.7 miles from Stop 3): The turn for Grapevine Canyon is approximately .4 of a mile past the actual canyon because the original entrance was washed out during the flooding. The entrance is now a right turn (east) just before the railroad bridge. This will place you on the east side of the river, and you will be traveling back south approximately .4 miles to the parking / picnic area in a grove of trees. Both pictographs and petroglyphs can be viewed by walking about 100 feet back along the road from the parking area, then follow a well-traveled foot path up the slope to a rock overhang.
Stop #5 Click here for details and GPSEtna Cave (pictographs) are approximately 10.3 miles from Stop 4 going north (or about 5.1 miles from junction of HWY 93 and SR 317 (Rainbow Canyon Road) going south): There are two different ways to get to the site from the road:
From Parking Spot #1: This is the shortest route. Park near, but not too near the railroad tracks (see photos on detail page). You will see a trail going up and over a small hill about 200' from where you park. When you get to the top of the small hill and look down and to your right, you will see the other end of the tunnel coming from "Parking Spot #2". Continue down into the wash (about 20' below you) and stay in the wash for approximately 300' to 400'. The pictographs are on the left side of the canyon in an area of smooth rock and can be seen from the wash.
From Parking Spot #2: This is the slightly longer route, but the most common. It is the safer of the two routes as you will not have to cross over the railroad tracks. Park at the train trestle and walk under it, and follow the sandy wash to your left (south) for about 500' to the tunnel. For those who are skittish of dark places, the tunnel is only about 100' long and not very dark. You may want to take a flashlight with you if you feel more secure. Walk through the tunnel to the other side and turn right up the wash. Stay in the wash for approximately 300' to 400'. The pictographs are on the left side of the canyon in an area of smooth rock and can be seen from the wash.
Safety Note: You may want to make some noise when entering the tunnel as it could be a great place for critters during the hot days.
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.
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