Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site
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Arizona Verde Valley V bar V is a national heritage site. It's a beautiful site and very accessible, It's a nice ride ride off of interstate 17, It's a dirt road, I did not have any problem with GPS but I heard others might have so you could write the directions out Before you go. If you're a person that has a walking disability. bad back, or you have to walk with the cane it is an achievable hike. It's also a family friendly area but you have to keep your eye on the kids. There's a minor hill down to the visitor center but It could be navigated with a wheelchair for person if there is a strong person helping the person in the chair get down and has the strength to help them get up the hill for the way back. The visitor center is worth seeing and the restrooms are clean and well maintained. It's a hard pack but sandy trail out to the main viewing site, With a slight incline and then flattens out, it's a enjoyable walk and you'll travel along a river area. There are plenty of areas with shade to stop along the way so you can take your time it's about a mile out. When You get to the site there's several steps that you'd have to go up to get really close. Again having someone strong that can help push you up or pull you up the steps for a closer look would help. If you stay in the flat area on the bottom you'll be about 30' from the cartridge works if you can get up the stairs if you get about 10' away. The petroglyph site is a Cultural markings Legacy from the Southern Sinagua of the Beaver Creek Community. Both the Verde Valley Archaeological Society and the Friends of the Forest provide interpretive tours and on-site management. Two full-time volunteers live on-site. Typically, one works the visitor center, while another provides interpretation for visitors at the petroglyphs. There are some part time locals who volunteer as well. The petroglyphs were created by Southern Sinagua Indigenous residents between about 1150 and 1400 AD. The site was known to early American settlers, and became part of the historic V Bar V ranch around 1907. About 20% of the petroglyphs are zoomorphs, including snakes, turtles, coyotes, deer and antelope.The next most common types are anthropomorphs and geometric figures, such as spirals and grids. The feeling is that there's a lot of Hopi influence and the Hopi believe that the inhabitants who left were part of the predicted Hopi migration to the homeland northern mesas One of the panels at V Bar V Heritage Site is referred to as the "Solar Panel" that exhibits unique shadow patterns created by three boulders wedged into the rock face. There's been plenty of research done on this and one entire book written. So as well worth a visit.
This place is super neat. There is a huge collection of petroglyphs on the stones and the guide was wonderful. The think this was all free (well parking pass for like $5) is crazy. It's a nice but short walk from the parking lot area to wall with the petroglyphs. I'd say stop by the ranger station to find out if someone is out there first. If not, be sure to read the displays on the walls. They are not fancy but the will fill in the info you need if there isn't a tour guide on site.
The petroglyphs at the ruins of V-Bar-V Ranch are located off the exit where Interstate 17 meets Route 179 toward Sedona. Instead of going west on 179, go east on the dirt road for a few miles until it ends at the parking lot. There is a small visitor's center and the chimney ruins of the former V-Bar-V ranch house that greet you before the short walk to the petroglyphs. You'll be in for a treat because these petroglyphs, a legacy of the Sinagua people circa AD 1150-1400, have always been protected. When this was private land, the petroglyphs were surrounded by barbed wire to keep the grazing cows from getting too close. Years later, a strong fence was installed to keep the grazing vandals away. The richness of these images is powerful and the mossy green lichen growing in the grooves of some of the images makes them even more striking. Animals, geometric patterns, human forms, abstract images: there is so much to see that I stood for over an hour just breathing it all in. A bonus to my visit was the good fortune of seeing rays of orange afternoon sun shine on the two large rocks lodged in the vertical crevice. The resulting shafts of shade demonstrated this panel's use as a solar calendar. The petroglyphs at V-Bar-V are a little gem that won't announce their presence as you drive on the interstate. No sign will say 'Exit Here' so you'll have to accept the responsibility and find your way to this reward.
Lots of interesting ancient things to see. Easy hike. It's HOT in summer, so go EARLY. If docents are there, take advantage of their insight! Much more interesting that way. A large, very busy panel of petroglyphs from the "sinagua" (Spanish for without (sin) water (Agua)) people
This place is amazing. Do stop here when you are in The Verde Valley area close to Sedona. From the parking lot, it is just a short 10 mins walk to the wall in the ranch where lots of petroglyphs were found left by the Sinagua people in the 1100s. It is a heck of a treat to stare and observe these carved images, but the other treat is having those volunteer guides who were so informational. Their passion for history is contagious! When we were there, the guide walked us through some of the interpretations behind the images. He also pointed out some of the traces of vandalism by the public before this site was protected. Then he proceeded to talk about Ken, who was an astronomy avid who received a grant from the state and uncovered a solar system calendar behind the images used by the pre historic population. It was very intriguing. He shared both viewpoints from the Western ideas and the Hopis (There were never traces of what happened to the Sinagua, so because of the similarity between the two communities, historians believe that some of the people were integrated). I would have loved to spend a few extra hours at this place to pick the guide's brain but sadly we were on limited time so we had to move on to other historical sites.
We had no idea what we were in for when we got to the Visitor Center. This site had been a working cattle ranch for so long but the rocks had been preserved. The fireplace & chimney still stand as a testament to a long gone era. You'll hike down a pretty smooth path about 10-15 minutes to a fenced enclosure and then you see it . . .fascinating! !! What history! This was the largest petroglyhs known to exist in Arizona. The rangers had some pretty interesting things to say and pointed out some pretty cool things. We had hit this site just right, in between 2 schools visiting so we had a chance to take our time and really get close and look at them. Very cool!!!
If you are planning a trip to Sedona or Camp Verde, you must stop by this site! Montezuma castle first, Montezuma well, then V-Bar-V. It is a very interesting site about the life and records of how the ancient people lived. Doug, our guide was extremely helpful and explain the site with great detail. He used a board to explain what the pictures signify and how the ancient Sinagua people used the wall as a calendar. Definitely a must visit.
Today's adventure took us to the Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site, where we discovered that people have apparently been leaving messages on rocks long before Facebook, Instagram, or questionable TikTok dance trends. These ancient artists carved their stories into stone, and unlike my photos, their work has survived for centuries without needing cloud storage or a software update. The hike was short, the views were spectacular, and the petroglyphs were fascinating. Standing there looking at markings created hundreds of years ago really makes you wonder what they meant... a hunting story? A map? Ancient Yelp reviews? "Water nearby. Scenery: . Would carve again." read more
The Crane petroglyph site is an amazing location in central Arizona, a little bit off the beaten path, but well worth it! Approximately 3 miles from the highway, the roads are very passable, if not the monsoon season - .4 mile trail from parking lot to the site, a visit is well worth it! Make sure you stop by the visitor center to sign in and say Hi, they have wonderful air-conditioning on a hot day... read more
3 years ago
Amazing little hidden gem of history. Well preserved and there is a guide that explains and teaches (to the best of todays expert knowledge) the history of this place. I was so impressed, beautiful petroglyphs. It's a little bit of a walk, about a 1/4 mile in. Once you get there you can sit in the shade and still take in the impressive petroglyphs on the stone walls. read more
1 year ago
Arizona Verde Valley V bar V is a national heritage site. It's a beautiful site and very accessible, It's a nice ride ride off of interstate 17, It's a dirt road, I did not have any problem with GPS but I heard others might have so you could write the directions out Before you go. If you're a person that has a walking disability. bad back, or you have to walk with the cane it is an achievable hike. It's also a family friendly area but you have to keep your eye on the kids. There's a minor hill down to the visitor center but It could be navigated with a wheelchair for person if there is a strong person helping the person in the chair get down and has the strength to help them get up the hill for the way back. The visitor center is worth seeing and the restrooms are clean and well maintained. It's a hard pack but sandy trail out to the main viewing site, With a slight incline and then flattens out, it's a enjoyable walk and you'll travel along a river area. There are plenty of areas with shade to stop along the way so you can take your time it's about a mile out. When You get to the site there's several steps that you'd have to go up to get really close. Again having someone strong that can help push you up or pull you up the steps for a closer look would help. If you stay in the flat area on the bottom you'll be about 30' from the cartridge works if you can get up the stairs if you get about 10' away. The petroglyph site is a Cultural markings Legacy from the Southern Sinagua of the Beaver Creek Community. Both the Verde Valley Archaeological Society and the Friends of the Forest provide interpretive tours and on-site management. Two full-time volunteers live on-site. Typically, one works the visitor center, while another provides interpretation for visitors at the petroglyphs. There are some part time locals who volunteer as well. The petroglyphs were created by Southern Sinagua Indigenous residents between about 1150 and 1400 AD. The site was known to early American settlers, and became part of the historic V Bar V ranch around 1907. About 20% of the petroglyphs are zoomorphs, including snakes, turtles, coyotes, deer and antelope.The next most common types are anthropomorphs and geometric figures, such as spirals and grids. The feeling is that there's a lot of Hopi influence and the Hopi believe that the inhabitants who left were part of the predicted Hopi migration to the homeland northern mesas One of the panels at V Bar V Heritage Site is referred to as the "Solar Panel" that exhibits unique shadow patterns created by three boulders wedged into the rock face. There's been plenty of research done on this and one entire book written. So as well worth a visit. read more
11 months ago
This place is super neat. There is a huge collection of petroglyphs on the stones and the guide was wonderful. The think this was all free (well parking pass for like $5) is crazy. It's a nice but short walk from the parking lot area to wall with the petroglyphs. I'd say stop by the ranger station to find out if someone is out there first. If not, be sure to read the displays on the walls. They are not fancy but the will fill in the info you need if there isn't a tour guide on site. read more
3 years ago
Great tour! Short walk to a really interesting historical site/petroglyphs. Well worth going off the beaten path! Highly recommend! read more
The petroglyphs at the ruins of V-Bar-V Ranch are located off the exit where Interstate 17 meets Route 179 toward Sedona. Instead of going west on 179, go east on the dirt road for a few miles until it ends at the parking lot. There is a small visitor's center and the chimney ruins of the former V-Bar-V ranch house that greet you before the short walk to the petroglyphs. You'll be in for a treat because these petroglyphs, a legacy of the Sinagua people circa AD 1150-1400, have always been protected. When this was private land, the petroglyphs were surrounded by barbed wire to keep the grazing cows from getting too close. Years later, a strong fence was installed to keep the grazing vandals away. The richness of these images is powerful and the mossy green lichen growing in the grooves of some of the images makes them even more striking. Animals, geometric patterns, human forms, abstract images: there is so much to see that I stood for over an hour just breathing it all in. A bonus to my visit was the good fortune of seeing rays of orange afternoon sun shine on the two large rocks lodged in the vertical crevice. The resulting shafts of shade demonstrated this panel's use as a solar calendar. The petroglyphs at V-Bar-V are a little gem that won't announce their presence as you drive on the interstate. No sign will say 'Exit Here' so you'll have to accept the responsibility and find your way to this reward. read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
Lots of interesting ancient things to see. Easy hike. It's HOT in summer, so go EARLY. If docents are there, take advantage of their insight! Much more interesting that way. A large, very busy panel of petroglyphs from the "sinagua" (Spanish for without (sin) water (Agua)) people read more
This place is amazing. Do stop here when you are in The Verde Valley area close to Sedona. From the parking lot, it is just a short 10 mins walk to the wall in the ranch where lots of petroglyphs were found left by the Sinagua people in the 1100s. It is a heck of a treat to stare and observe these carved images, but the other treat is having those volunteer guides who were so informational. Their passion for history is contagious! When we were there, the guide walked us through some of the interpretations behind the images. He also pointed out some of the traces of vandalism by the public before this site was protected. Then he proceeded to talk about Ken, who was an astronomy avid who received a grant from the state and uncovered a solar system calendar behind the images used by the pre historic population. It was very intriguing. He shared both viewpoints from the Western ideas and the Hopis (There were never traces of what happened to the Sinagua, so because of the similarity between the two communities, historians believe that some of the people were integrated). I would have loved to spend a few extra hours at this place to pick the guide's brain but sadly we were on limited time so we had to move on to other historical sites. read more
We had no idea what we were in for when we got to the Visitor Center. This site had been a working cattle ranch for so long but the rocks had been preserved. The fireplace & chimney still stand as a testament to a long gone era. You'll hike down a pretty smooth path about 10-15 minutes to a fenced enclosure and then you see it . . .fascinating! !! What history! This was the largest petroglyhs known to exist in Arizona. The rangers had some pretty interesting things to say and pointed out some pretty cool things. We had hit this site just right, in between 2 schools visiting so we had a chance to take our time and really get close and look at them. Very cool!!! read more
9 years ago
If you are planning a trip to Sedona or Camp Verde, you must stop by this site! Montezuma castle first, Montezuma well, then V-Bar-V. It is a very interesting site about the life and records of how the ancient people lived. Doug, our guide was extremely helpful and explain the site with great detail. He used a board to explain what the pictures signify and how the ancient Sinagua people used the wall as a calendar. Definitely a must visit. read more
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9 years ago
Really cool place to visit as part of your Sedona experience. Short 15 minute walk to get from the parking lot to the petroglyphs and there is a guy there telling you about the story behind the markings read more
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