Round Trip Distance: 0.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 4456 - 4498 feet
Cellphone: 3-5 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead: River View
Fee: none
Attractions: petroglyphs
The River View Petroglyphs are located about 6 miles from downtown Bishop, California at the saddle of a ridge, on the eastern edge of the Volcanic Tableland, where they overlook the Owens River. Numerous petroglyphs can be found on various boulders just below the ridge.
To get there drive as though going to the Casa Diablo Caves & Petroglyphs but at the turnoff to that site on the Casa Diablo Road continue straight for another half mile to the top of the mesa and follow the road that branches off on the left.
Follow this side road for about 7 tenths of a mile, watching for a small pullout on the left. If you reach the end of the road then backtrack for about a quarter of a mile.
From the pullout there is a noticeable trail that climbs gently up to a gap in the rocky ridge.
The first of the petroglyphs can be found on the east side of a large boulder after descending 30 or 40 feet below the ridge on the valley side.
The photos in this post were taken on a bright early summer morning. The petroglyphs were made deep enough into the rock that they are still easily discernible even in very bright light.
An interesting place to make a face.
On some of the rocks the pecked images show up with a reddish tint.
Almost all of the boulders around the one that the first panel is found on have images on at least one of their surfaces.
This panel has a number of zoomorphic images, such as deer, that are connected with lines to the images that surround them. The result is that they are less individually discernible and almost pass without notice.
This spoked circle shows up well in the shade.
This is the view of the Owens River, the view of which the site gets its name. It is a rather pretty little valley.
