Perry Mesa, Az

[GenShingar]

My family and I are going to be hiking up on Perry mesa next week and was wondering if anyone had good info on where the best places to visit up there, and good directions/markers (Perhaps a map with markers and/or GPS cords) to the best petroglyphs, mines and other not-to-be missed sights are.

Thanks

[Grasshopper]

Here are a couple favorites you can visit on a day trip.. but it's going to be HOT there in July..

Perry Tank Canyon Ruins.. http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=691
(Park here to start hike.. http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=114196 )

Pueblo La Plata Ruins.. http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=2365
(Driving Route.. http://hikearizona.com/location_g.php?GPS=7243 )

There is a website for this "Agua Fria National Monument" on the Perry Mesa. I will add it later if I can find the link.
EDIT: For additional info visit---> http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/blm_sp ... afria.html

[hikeaz]

Part of the adventure and satisfaction is in the 'discovering'.......
Maybe you'll find the Duck Petroglyph - the only one ever found in the southwest..

igallery/image.php?pic_id=4300

[GenShingar]

Awesome man, thanks a LOT. I didn't know that bloody basin Rd went over/through the river.

In your opinion which spot do you think is better, the site at the far end of bloody basin Rd or badger springs rd?

[GenShingar]

Part of the adventure and satisfaction is in the 'discovering'.......
Maybe you'll find the Duck Petroglyph - the only one ever found in the southwest..

igallery/image.php?pic_id=4300

I couldn't agree with you more, and if I lived closer, I would probably already have combed that whole mesa.... unfortunately, that is not the case so this may be the only chance I have to explore this area for a long time and want to make sure I get the most out of it while I can.

Also, one of the people who will be hiking with us is slow, so,

[Grasshopper]

I didn't know that bloody basin Rd went over/through the river.
In your opinion which spot do you think is better, the site at the far end of bloody basin Rd or badger springs rd?

Of the two, the Perry Tank Canyon Ruins is the more popular to visit. I suggest you read the complete hike description, some triplogs, and view some pic sets to be better informed before your departure date. Be sure you have the correct vehicle to drive these sometime rocky/rough secondary dirt roads and if some of these secondary roads are too wet, could be iffy for safe driving. Check the weather forecast for probability of monsoon storms for as you now know, Bloody Basin Road for part of your drive in crosses numerous creek drainages and the Agua Fria River (as I recall- no bridge here..just a low cement drive over section).

Have fun, be safe and we do hope you will let us know how it went via posting your first HAZ triplog with pics..

[Jim]

Whats all this hubbub about Perry Mason?

[GenShingar]

Mesa, not Mason.

Thats one hill I would never be brave enough to climb.

[Jim]

Mesa, not Mason.

Thats one hill I would never be brave enough to climb.

The climb up Perry Mason is both mentally challenging and a physical hardship.

[Alston_Neal]

Ah the Perry Mesa puns have no end. The main walk into Perry Tank/Pato Pueblo is Della Street, Erle Stanley was the agave Gardiner.
Both our favorites are Perry Tank and Red Deer/Mujers site. But it is friggin hot up there now and with monsoons coming in, the roads to both of these sites can get ugly.
A little buddy at Pato. Note the bighorn sheep in the lower left. I didn't notice him till I took this pic.

Red Deer site.. which btw I first went there in 1963.
It was much newer then.

The best part about Perry is there is so much to explore and it is so serene.

[joebartels]

Please don't post photos of a hike or a triplog in the forum. Instead post them with the links found at the top of every page. thx

[Alston_Neal]

Gotcha, sorry.
Want me to delete them?

[joebartels]

No, do hope you'll post on site someday

[PaleoRob]

Part of the adventure and satisfaction is in the 'discovering'.......
Maybe you'll find the Duck Petroglyph - the only one ever found in the southwest..

igallery/image.php?pic_id=4300

The only one? I've seen lots of duck-headed people. Do you have a reference for it being the only one in the southwest?

[Alston_Neal]

Once you've seen the duck you'll know there can't be any others like it... ;)

[drterry]

Once you've seen the duck you'll know there can't be any others like it... ;)

There is a DUCK petroglyph on a rock wall near the entrance to the RED DOT trail in White Rock, NEW Mexico that I saw in August 2011, that is very close to identical to the one below Perry Tank ruin. It faces the same direction (to the right) and is standing about the same height and width but is faded and harder to see than the one just below Perry Tank ruin. It shocked me to see that it was so similar in shape and attributes. Doubt the same man did both of these, but it was a thought when I looked at it If your ever in the area, there is some nice rock art along this trail to the Rio Grande. The trail is so steep that a lot of people do not even see the rock art (Red Dots line the route since it is hard to distinguish among all the boulders. It connects to a Blue Dot Trail at the bottom near the Rio Grande) There are other duck petroglyphs I have seen around Cedar Mesa and the San Rafael Swell in Utah and a lot of Duckhead man petroglyphs near the San Juan River. I also remember a couple of other Duck petroglyphs in AZ and think there is one at Willow Springs, near Tuba City. One of the more famous duckhead man petroglyphs is the one in John's Canyon Utah. I could post pictures of some of these, but have no idea where to do this since Joe would not like it.

[joebartels]

You can post photos at http://hikearizona.com/photo-E.php
if there is no description or it is a compilation you can post under a generic name too

[Alston_Neal]

You could post a pic or two since they would be from different locations. Not a true photoset, so Joe probably won't get toooo mad and if he does he'll just come storming down on me cuz it was my suggestion...
I for one would like to see how similar the Perry Tank petro and the one you speak of look alike.

Oh hi Joe, you beat me to it......nevermind.....

[azbackpackr]

Wild duck, or.........................................?????????