We decided to try to get to Quail Point Petroglyph site today. Last year we turned around when the trail became a bit dicey for Betsy, with sand and brush, and it was also later in the afternoon. Thankfully we stopped where we did because we never would have made it to the site. This year a couple of miles from Quail Point we ran into a volcanic area, with a narrow rocky trail down off the mesa to the sandy wash of the Gila flood plain. Roxie made it – no problem! What an amazing place!
We stopped at a sandy drop-off of about a foot deep and 3 or 4 feet wide. Backed up and parked just off the trail and walked towards the hill. We then scrambled up the rocks and boulders making our way to the top. Incredible views around the Gila flood plan! The Great Bend of the Gila was a cultural crossroads of the ancient Hohokam and the Payatan cultures. The top of the mesa was filled with remnants of ancient activity – trails along the top, petroglyphs, and volcanic rocks placed in specific patterns (geoglyphs).
So much to see, so little time to see it. After exploring the south side of the escarpment I managed to scramble down, on the north side, for a few minutes, to find some petroglyphs just below the rim but after that we headed back to the car for a quick lunch. We decided to take Roxie down and across the sandy drop off (thunk), through a narrow avenue of trees, with scratching, screeching, branches on both sides. We stopped in the middle of the trail on the north side of Quail Point 😲 and got out! We decided it was most unlikely another vehicle would come our way so we stayed there! Another couple of hours to explore the lower reaches of the north side, going as far as the rock outcropping with petroglyphs that I had seen from the top. There was no time (or energy) for me to climb up to the rock faces at the top. We’ll have to come back another time!
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