Indian Cave and Drawings

Win Heger · Mar 18, 2008

Not far from our house and within Zion NP is an area called Cave Valley. There is a large "cave" but more like an alcove called "Mother of Earth" Legend has it that all beings rose from within this cave and populated the Earth. Across the valley is another alcove with some interesting drawings and a bit further in a cave that was an Indian crematorium.

I was at the VC in Zion one day and a ranger told me that the area is now closed and we're not supposed to be there.

Win

MOE Cave Entrance:

My wife in MOE cave:

Pictograph panel in valley:

Another:

Crematorium:

tknife · Mar 18, 2008

Awesome, wow. Great pics! Zion NP is a magical place, I need to get out there again. I could lose myself in all the rocks and caves!

stingray4540 · Mar 18, 2008

That is cool! I was going to ask how you were able to go into a place like that, because usually any interesting places with any kind of history, are immediately taken over by the government and access is restricted. But, it seems like it already happened. Too bad...

audiopile · Mar 18, 2008

have been to one site like this in Wisconsin - near Disco ,Wi.. I would have to say this is one of the most beautiful places I've been in Wisconsin - a crik has cut a notch into hills over the ages and left sandstone overhanges that had clearly been used for shelter for a long time by Native Americans. Pictographs on the walls and ceiling - unfortunatly this is also the poster child for why public access is limited to such sites - absolutly massive vandalism over the years -every a#$%^e vandal in Central Wisconsin over the last hundrerd years has left their mark - most of them right on top of the drawings! Very little of the original is left today.
I make my living doing electronic security -am somewhat philosphical about the fact that some people ( either some or all the time) will steal if given a chance. I truelly do not understand the vandall - the impulse/compulsion to destroy or deface is a mystery - but because of a few - the rest of us must be locked out of places of beauty.

norcalblacktail · Mar 18, 2008

I love Native American drawings. Sucks about the vandalism.

DeadeyeLefty · Mar 18, 2008

I love to see stuff like, thanks for posting it. It's even better that it hasn't been trashed (at least not yet).

Last time I was up around Kamloops, my sis (she makes those kind of decisions for the govt) took me to an ancient native camp that they had recently found. The approach was hidden and the location was being kept a secret: "stealth anthropology" I guess you could call it. It's unfortunate that it has to be that way thanks to inevitable vandalism, especially since the site was so close to a major road.

Unless you're going to brick up the entrance to preserve it, closing an area just creates more attraction for those who would wreck the site. Looks like a great spot for a bush party...

dipbait · Mar 20, 2008

Id like to see that cave. It would be exciting to discover something like that. On the bluffs overlooking the Salt River in Missouri , you may find some Indian drawings.

kgd · Mar 20, 2008

I love the rock formations in that part of the country. I do start to miss lakes after awhile in the west though!

Dannyboy Leather · Mar 20, 2008

Great photos and super interesting! Thanks for showing! :thumbup:

bearthedog · Mar 20, 2008

That is cool to look at something from so long ago. Like looking at history isn't it.

Ralph Merlino · Mar 21, 2008

Very Nice Pictures Win, Beautiful Color.

shecky · Mar 21, 2008

There are dozens of petroglyph sites in the CA desert where I used to roam as a youngster. Some are extremely remote. Even so, vandalism or theft seems common. As time goes by, it seems many are being fenced off. However, many being extremely remote, deterrence of theft is minimal and policing is difficult to achieve.

One of the neatest place is in the middle of China Lake Naval base. Generally off limits, there are organized outings to visit several times a year.

Doug C · Mar 21, 2008

Thanks,Win,it's been 30 years since I've been there.
Sorry to hear that it is now closed to the public.
Great pics.
Dipbait yours are as well.Thanks.

Doug

Win Heger · Mar 21, 2008

Thanks for the nice comments, folks. We love to go out to sites like those I pictured. There are a lot in the area but some are only known to locals and they ain't talkin'.

There has been a lot of publicity on some of the sites and that has led to vandalism. Seems the damage comes from two sources: youth that graffiti the area and others that cut it up for sale. Same thing with petrified wood, in one area they went in at night with backhoes and dug out the wood!

Dipbait, those are some very neat pictographs! It's good to hear from those that have them in their areas, too.

Win