The lava flow surrounding the Pitkin Cinder Cone in the Rodman Mountains appears to have been an artists’ colony for ancient Indians. Today the Indians are gone, but their creations remain on the colorful volcanic rocks. It was these petroglyphs that were the goal of today’s trip.

Access to this area from Lucerne Valley via Camp Rock Road is relatively easy. As you climb higher toward the Rodmans you will notice more vegetation. Many types of plants and cacti make this area their home; and so do hawks, eagles, big horn sheep, and a variety of reptiles. We visited this area in late August. A tropical wave blessed us with cloudy skies, cooler temperatures, and even some rain. Our photographs suffered from the lack of typically clear, bright conditions; however, the sheer volume and the variety of the petroglyphs more than made up for it.

As we scrambled along the rocks at the edge of the lava flow, or hiked up a steep walled canyon, we were greeted with new creations at every turn. However, there is a problem. The vandalism of many of these images is the worst that we have seen. As a consequence we will not give specific directions or GPS coordinates for these sites.

Please enjoy a sampling of the petroglyphs and flora and fauna that we encountered in this very enjoyable area.