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    Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve

    4.2 (32 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve Photos

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    Chuckwalla

    It's a nice short 1/2 mile wheelchair accessible hike. We saw several animals & enjoyed spotting the petroglyphs throughout the park.

    Katie N.

    Came here with my mom, we loved it! The more you look, the more you see, and it was almost a game trying to spot the drawings. The space is fantastic and I loved that there wasn't much to the outdoor space, just being in the natural setting was fabulous. Yes it's sunny, yes it may be warm, but what else would you expect. I'd love to come back because I guess that in a different light different Petroglyphs would be visible. Very friendly staff and a cute kids space too.

    Amy Michelle Mosier M.

    I was setup for disappointment on account of the false advertisements. I actually read reviews before I went here. They are way off. The ads said there were thousands of petroglyphs here, even suggesting to come at 10AM when the sun shines on the glyphs and to bring your own binoculars. On top of that, the website said that there is a butterfly exhibit in Feb. that was part of the "tour". Sounds awesome, right? And I'm a pretty good photographer too. So I get here. The visitor's center is nice and informative. However, the price is a little steep for what you get. I walk through the back gate and enter the trail. It's a flat, pebbled trail, only a 1/4 mile long. There is no "tour guide", nor a "tour". There was no butterfly exhibit. I'm there at exactly 10AM and there are not thousands of petroglyphs. Even with the binocs, they are hard to find and faded. For just $6 parking, you can see way more glyphs at South Mountain Park on the Kiwanis Trail. The most exciting part about this tour was that a large squirrel approached us (see attached photos) and was really, really curious about us. You reach the end of the trail and that's when you figure out that you've been duped. If it wasn't government run, it would have been shut down a long time ago.

    A birds nest we saw along the trail
    Shelly H.

    I got a culture pass and took a Saturday stroll down the trail with my toddler. My review it not based on the Indian artifact though. I went because my son LOVES rocks!! We saw all sorts of frogs, squirrels, birds, bunnies, bugs, and oh so many rocks. It's a pleasent walk with a drinking fountain near the end and there are places to sit along the trail. There is a nice little garden you can walk in the gated area to observe the plants growing. It's a great safe trail for kids. My son absolutely loved it and we will be back again for another stroll in the future.

    Entrance
    Korina A.

    We decided to go as a family one Sunday afternoon, to get outdoors, and do something together. We even took the dogs. The DVRAC consists of a small building that gives you the info about the history of the area, and what you are about to see outside. Once you exit the other side, you start on a short trail, that includes numbered stops. Your brochure has information about each stop. Or, you can wait until a tour starts, and have it all explained to you. There are also scheduled demonstrations and talks. We were the only people there, so we really took our time, and examined everything. It's amazing how many petroglyphs there are, and so close together. You could spend a lot of time just hunting with your eyes. I did wish I had brought my binoculars, since some of them are a way up the hill. We too, met Bear, who is actually not a ranger, but is employed by ASU. The property is owned by the company that built the dam, on which the building sits, and the facility is administered by students of ASU's anthropology, geology, and similar departments. At any rate, since we were the only people there, Bear was able to spend a good deal of time talking with us. If you would like to meet him, hurry -- he is retiring soon. All in all, the Deer Valley Rock Art Center is a fun, inexpensive, educational way to spend an hour or two outdoors, and isn't very far away.

    Lava field

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    11 years ago

    This place is fucking boring, the trail is short and dull, I could have walked around in my backyard and could have had a better time.

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    Ask the Community - Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve

    Review Highlights - Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve

    She walked them around the small museum and explained everything really well.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Basement level
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    Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve - landmarks - Updated July 2026

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