The Arroyo del Parral 5/28-29-30/71 RON JONES

Over the Memorial Day weekend, Betty and John Wallin, Mary Sue Mead, Keith and Ron Jones drove nearly 650 miles south into Baja California del Sur to further explore the Arroyo del Parral and its side canons and washes. Mary Sue and I had first day-packed into the Arroyo in December last year, and we investigated perhaps 10 overhanging shallow caves, all with primitive Indian paintings; several with outstanding examples of Indian art. Farther on than we were able to daypack lies Cueva del Serpiente, The Cave of the Serpent containing two snake forms with a total length of 26 feet. This was our goal in May. Locating the Arroyo is not easy and explicit directions should not be given because of the value and significance of the fragile art in the area. At Christmas I knew of 2 approaches to the mid-portion of the Arroyo: One by way of the old El Camino Real connecting the Baja missions; the second a cattle trail branching from the Camino Real. This May I discovered 2 additional old but well-constructed roads leading deeper into the Arroyo. The Camino Real, constructed in the 1740's, is the easiest and most interesting approach. The cattle trail is more direct but difficult to follow into the Arroyo, although it is somewhat easier to follow out. Walking along the 230 year old El Camino Real gives one a feeling of awe -- a real sense of the history of the area. It is 16 feet wide, cleared of nearly all volcanic rocks, some being 3 feet in diameter, and passing nearly straight through a desert forest of Cardones, Elephant trees, Ocotillos and other plants. After traveling about 3 miles, seeing only an occasional small petroglyph, one descends a series of well made switch-backs, with sturdy stone walls, into the Arroyo. The Camino Real leads across the Arroyo and continues on toward Rancho Santa Marta and a marvelous appearing peak, Cerro Santiago, which reminds me of Baboquivari. Memorial Day is too late in the year to pack into the area. Temperatures reached 90 degrees and I should add that I had seen only one filthy seep and no useable water on either of my trips. Christmas is much more agreeable but still no water although one sees occasional cattle. At the point of descent on the basalt walls of the Arroyo are many paintings: Deer in red outline, deer in solid red, fat lizard-like animals, undoubtable Christian crosses and many abstract designs. After several hours a magnificent cave is found. One needs binoculars to continually scan likely looking spots on either wall of the Arroyo. A large south-facing rock wall was covered with figures: Running deer, fish, lizards, mountain sheep, possibly turtles and many abstract figures done mostly in red "paint" (ground mineral pigments in a tallow base I believe) but also black and occasionally ochre. At this location was a 5 foot long pregnant deer, with my son Keith pointing out a beautiful 2 foot long spotted fawn in its belly, as if inviting the reproduction of deer. All along the Arroyo in smaller overhangs are other paintings.

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