Kumeyaay petroglyphs in Baja California. Kumeyaay Rock Art. Kumeyaay Shaman. California Rock Art.

I have to admit that I used to believe that I had to leave San Diego and Imperial Counties to see impressive petroglyphs.  A subjective statement to be sure.  The pictures I have seen of the petroglyphs in Pinto Canyon always impressed me, but it is currently a potentially dangerous place to be.  About the most extensive petroglyph site that I am aware of occurs in the region of the border of San Diego and Riverside Counties.  In all honesty, I am not sure if this is in Anza Borrego State Park or not.  In any case, in searching for "Utah Class" of petroglyphs within a few hours of San Diego, that has both beautiful desert scenery and friendly site stewardship -  the answer to me has become - Baja California.  To many of us that spend so much time trying to see a portion of the rock art of the Southwest, it is easy to forget how much magnificent art there is in Baja California apart from the large murals of Central Baja.  We know that the Kumeyaay used the canyons on the eastern side of the Southern California Peninsular Range as seasonal routes and for the abundance of resources found there.  Not surprisingly, the same situation exists along the eastern side of the Sierra Juarez Mountains of Baja California.  I was impressed to hear that the Kumuyaay range was as far south as a 100 miles into Baja California.  This is one of their Shaman's work about 30-40 miles south of the border in a year round creek at the bottom of the Sierra Juarez.  Currently, the Pets are about 10 feet above the water.  The area reminds me of Carrizo Gorge in ABSP and the Garden of Eden it was 20-30 years ago when it was flush with water and devoid of Tamarisk trees.  Not a spot of trash or graffiti anywhere.  This panel is about a mile from the nearest 4WD road.  It is easy to imagine the Kumeyaay villagers here in their pre-contact serenity. Click on photo to enlarge it.  Photos copyright Don Liponi 2014.