Round Trip Distance: 0.5 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 2880 - 2918 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 1 hrs. 30 mins.
Trailhead: 35.12661, -117.10278
Fee: none
Attractions: petroglyphs
The Murphy's Well Petroglyphs are located in the Black Mountain area northwest of Barstow, California. A handful of petroglyphs can be found at two separate sites that are in close proximity of each other.
For turn-by-turn directions to Murphy's Well enter 35.12661, -117.10278 into your driving app. From the Hinkley exit on CA-58 you will be directed north on the Hinkley Road for 7.8 miles and then right on County Road 20771 for another 8.4 miles to where the trailhead will be on your left. County Road 20771 is a 4WD road but all you will probably need is just a little bit of ground clearance. There is enough loose sand that passenger cars wouldn't be advisable.
The first petroglyphs can be hunted for amongst the boulders along the side of the hill behind the trailhead.
Some of them are visible from the trail.
Others you can get glimpses of part of them but you have to climb up on the rocks to see others.
There are 3 images here all within a few feet of each other.
This one is hidden beneath an overhanging boulder. If you get close enough to see the other 2 images then you can spot this one behind them.
Area 2 is at the mouth of a side canyon where there is a primitive campsite. The petroglyphs are scattered around in the rocks that are lower down on the side of the hill.
All of the images here can be easily spotted from down on the level ground.
Rain,
Wind?,
and sun.
And a chain of circles.
We hiked about a half mile or so into the side canyon. I should say scrambled because the side canyon is full of boulders and brush and is difficult to hike. Anyway, we didn't see anything of interest in that short distance. We thought that we had seen more petroglyphs on the internet than what we have shown here but this is all that we could find on this trip.
If you would like to see them for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
If you would like to see them for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
