Visit to Red Man's Canyon is worth drive down dirt road

photos by Leslie payne/special to viewRed Man?s Canyon was given its name by a Paiute Indian named Buster Wilson, who was following a trail one day and discovered a site that he described in a letter to a friend as appearing to be "some kind of ancient Indian ceremonial ground." Petroglyphs and pictographs in Red Man?s Canyon allow early residents of Southern Nevada to speak to us today.

Many years ago, going west on Smoke Ranch Road, the smooth pavement ended abruptly after crossing Jones Boulevard. A gray, ribbonlike dirt road became visible as it snaked its way to the lower reaches of the Spring Mountains. From the pavement's end to the first big outcropping of tumbled red sandstone on the left was just 9.2 miles. It was an easy drive for such a rewarding outing.

Today, because of Las Vegas' tremendous growth, the canyon only can be reached via a dirt road off West Charleston Boulevard 1.08 miles from where the Las Vegas Beltway crosses underneath. This 4-wheel-drive road has been formed by many people driving toward the canyon. It is rugged and subject to washout during heavy rains. Because of the difficulty in reaching the area, it is a popular mountain biking and hiking destination. From the pavement, look to the lower small red sandstone outcroppings and head for those.

It was called Red Man's Canyon by early Nevadans, and this rugged mass of Aztec sandstone was, to my knowledge, first explored and recorded by a local Paiute Indian, Buster Wilson. He wrote extensively of his find to a friend who had made a lifelong study of the nomadic American Indian tribes of Southern Nevada. One of his first letters about his discovery reads as follows:

"Dear friend Sam,

Today while I was following an old water trail, I came upon what appeared to be some kind of ancient Indian ceremonial ground. I found their writings (petroglyphs and pictographs) on the sides of most every rock and stone in the territory.

Sometimes, they were colored red and sometimes they were just picked into the walls of the bluffs. There were a lot of big fire holes, too, and I found two or three nice-sized caves. One of them had a chunk of rock that had fallen from the ceiling, and there's hardly a square inch on it that wasn't covered with their writings.

There's a little box canyon with a sand floor. I reckon it's where the Indians made arrowheads and jewelry, 'cause I found beads and real pretty arrowheads made of colored stone strewn all over the sand. Found some fair-sized grinding stones too. Gives me a funny feeling sometimes to think about all those Indians. Don't know the name of this canyon, so I'm calling it Red Man's Canyon till someone has a better idea.

Your old friend, Buster."

Very little has changed in Red Man's Canyon since the day when Buster first walked into it. Nature's forces have, in places, erased some of the petroglyphs and pictographs, but for the most part, they are just as the Indians left them centuries ago.

The fire holes Buster referred to are actually mescal pits, one being exceptionally large, measuring 25 to 30 feet in diameter and more than 4 feet in depth. The "caves" are rock shelters and show considerable use as human habitations.

The entire area is fascinating, like taking a step back into our historic past. Not only is this trip rich in American Indian lore, but the scenery, plants, panoramic vistas and the fresh air are all supremely inviting.

Picnickers, hikers or those just out for a short afternoon's drive will find this trip a memorable one for each member of the family.

An ancient story tells that two tribes once reigned supreme over all the regions lying west of the Colorado River. One tribe was the Moapa of the Virgin Valley and the other was the Shoshone, who made their home in the Spring Mountains and Pahrump Valley.

The legend says the Shoshone were composed exclusively of men, some of whom had never seen a woman. One day, one of the Shoshone hunters veered far off his course while following a bighorn sheep up into the Spring Mountains. Here, he caught a glimpse of the country beyond. Lured by the unknown, he set off to explore the new land. As he journeyed toward the great blue river, he chanced upon the domain of the Moapa tribe and there, for the first time, he gazed upon a woman.

To the fascinated stranger, she was the most beautiful sight of his life. This vision, combined with a potent charm that seemed to make his heart beat faster and faster, convinced him to return to his own people to report his wonderful discovery. As he turned to leave, he became aware of more and more of these incredible creatures staring at him. As fleet as a deer, he made his way back home to find the shaman and the tribal chief.

A great council was called and again the explorer described his find. Much discussion followed, ending in severe criticism of the Great Spirit who had perpetrated such a colossal outrage on the Shoshones by failing to provide them with their share of the lovely creatures.

Under the chief's direction, a party was organized for the purpose of raiding the Moapa tribe and stealing their women. Marching across the desert and mountains, they surprised the Moapas and successfully completed their mission. But, within a short time, the Moapa warriors rose up and a mighty battle ensued. So evenly matched were the two groups that neither gained the advantage over the other. At last, all the warriors on both sides were killed and the rocky canyons were saturated with their blood.

The existing rocks are said to be as red as the blood they shed. The petroglyphs are a story of the battle. Today, the area is one of peace and tranquility with great beauty all around.

Florine Lawlor is a native Las Vegan and a former writer for the Las Vegas Sun and Senior Press.