Painted Rock is in the Corrizo Plain National Monument southeast of Santa Margarita, California. The site has some very good pictographs. A reservation is required to visit the site. The following is from the BLM website:
Once on Carrizo Plain National Monument, continue on Soda Lake Road until you arrive at the sign for Goodwin Education Center, turn at the sign and continue for 1/2 mile to the education center. Entrance for Painted Rock Road is behind the education center, you must have a reservation from www.recreation.gov to visit Painted Rock. Gate code is required for self-guided tours and is available from www.recreation.gov after you make your reservation. No gate code required for guided tours.
For turn-by-turn directions enter Painted Rock Trailhead into your driving app and pick the one near Santa Margarita.
Included with this post is the GPS file and map that we plan to use for our first visit. If you don't want to wait for us to get around to it feel free to try the GPS file and map for yourself. With no guarantee, of course, but they most often prove valuable for us.
Download GPS planning file:
