Welcome to the Friends of Last Chance Canyon

   The pictures above are a javascript slideshow showing examples of Native American pictographs and petroglyphs available for viewing in the Ridgecrest, California area. Also shown are scenic and historic sites available for public tours through our non-profit organization.

   Concentrated in secluded canyons of the Coso Range on the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) China Lake, are thousands of visual reminders of people who hunted and gathered their food in this high desert area many years ago. No one is certain who these primitive people were or when they were here. Students of rock art have only theories about the significance and meaning of the designs. What is certain is that these images allow us to glimpse a time when man lived as one with nature. It takes only a slight imagination for us today to travel back in time and envision the shaman, hunter and native laboring to portray these images. Some images are painstakingly worn deep into the rock, through lengthy rubbing, and could have been repeatedly done over generations of hunters wishing to kindle the magic from the images each hunting season. Other images are designs elusive of an easy interpretation today. Opinions vary widely whether the petroglyphs were made for ceremonial purposes, whether they are telling stories to pass along the mythology of their makers, or whether they record hunting hopes or successes. The petroglyphs are pecked, engraved, or abraded into the desert varnish or patina that forms on volcanic basalt rocks with time and weathering. The lighter colored base rock makes the design easily visible when freshly made, older designs can be seen to fade with increased renewal of the patina or varnish over the rock. Bighorn sheep are the most common design in the region. Other animals shown include deer, mountain lions, coyotes, foxes, lizards, snakes, tortoises, centipedes, and quail. Hunters with throwing sticks (atlatls) or bows and arrows are also shown. Near the canyon entrance are two human figures shooting at each other with bows and arrows, a rare design. There are also many abstract designs whose meaning remains a mystery. The visitor is sure to be amazed at the number and varied content of these historic figures.

   NAWS is host to the largest concentration of Native American rock art in the North American continent; over 100 miles of petroglyphs! Though most of the petroglyphs reside within the restricted area of the Navy base, the Navy has made an abundant sample available for public viewing. For current petroglyph tour information, please see the link to the left. Several pictures above are of car tours visiting historic mining camps, scenic canyons, and sites on public land. We also are offering car tours to these nearby areas. Simply contact our Tour Coordinator listed under "Contact Us" above.

   In order to visit the petroglyphs within the Navy base, the base command requests all visitors to identify themselves as being US citizens and provide personal information. By following the links to the left you may provide the information in a secure manner, or contact us directly by phone or postal mail if preferred.

   We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with a defined goal of helping to protect nearby El Paso Mountains area sites for the public to view and enjoy today and into the future. Time has shown this purpose is best achieved by supporting site stewardship and caretakers in these remote historical areas, thus leaving items such as mining era cabins and unique tools in their native habitat. Read about places such as Burro Schmidt's Tunnel and Bickel Camp, and join in the effort to protect what's remaining onsite and restore recent vandalism. We also support the sharing and study of early California history, from ancient (Paleo) Native American Indians to gold prospectors and area settlers. Cultural education for the general public is available through tours, lectures, activities, and writings of the area. We'll soon have information here on activities like gold panning, dry washing and desert mining in the area. Check out the Bickel Camp site for mining information. Restoration and/or aging abatement of historically significant sites (as might be permitted) is a goal of our organization, as well as are raising the funds to support these activities.

   In order to pursue these interests we work closely with the Ridgecrest Bureau of Land Management office and the US Navy's Public Affairs Office at China Lake, without whose continuing protection of these public lands such historic sites would most likely be lost.