Indian Rock Shelter - Joshua Tree National Park

If you are doing a car tour of the park, this would be a good stop.
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This site is just off the parking lot for the trail leading up Ryan Mountain. It is a rock shelter that was used for many centuries by Indians traveling along an ancient trail from the Colorado River towards the coast. The site is signed and less than a hundred yards from where you park, just off the main road.

The shelter is behind the bush near the right side of the photo. 

 The opening is on the left. Love that tree! Nature always finds a way.

Inside the shelter is this rock with a mortero and a few cupules. 

 Also a "slick" or "metate" used for grinding food. You can tell by the very smooth surface that it was used for a very long time.

Tay standing inside the shelter. There are/were pictographs also. Unfortunately, they are hidden, or were destroyed by soot and pitch, from centuries of fires. I couldn't find any trace of them. I'm not giving up yet...

 Here are two photos taken in the mid 1970's (not by me). I don't see any sign of them in either photo. Not even with DStretch.

 Can you see anything?

Tay doing what she does best. 

This photo was taken just outside my jeep, that is parked in the Ryan Mountain parking lot. It is very much worth a visit if you are driving through the park.

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