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Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is responsible for 1 in every 10 acres of land in the U.S.

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Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is a federal agency that preserves natural and historical sites in the United States. You can find Bureau of Land Management campgrounds in many of these areas as well. Search "BLM camping near me" to find affordable locations for RV camping. The Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs are a group of rock art galleries in the Volcanic Tablelands area. They were created 1,000 to 8,000 years ago by ancestors of the Paiute-Shoshone peoples. The southern cluster of petroglyphs is on an isolated rock wall. In the northern cluster, the petroglyphs appear on several stone buttes.

What to See and Do

Hiking and Biking

Crystal Lake Trail

In the nearby Inyo National Forest, you can hike the out-and-back Crystal Lake Trail for a stunning view of Mammoth Lakes Basin. The trail is open throughout the year, but June to November are the best months to take this hike.

Length: 3.1 miles

Intensity: Moderate

Convict Lake Loop Trail

This loop trail is an easy hike around Convict Lake in the Inyo National Forest. It's open year-round with June to November being the best months to take the hike.

Length: 2.5 miles

Intensity: Easy

McLeod Lake Trail

McLeod Lake Trail is an easy loop trail that travels through a forest and around McLeod Lake. June to November are the ideal months for hiking this trail, but it's open all year.

Length: 1.8 miles

Intensity: Easy

Mount Whitney Portal to Lone Pine Lake

Those who are up for a challenging hike will want to take Mount Whitney Portal to Lone Pine Lake. You'll be rewarded with beautiful views of Mount Whitney, a waterfall, and Lone Pine Lake. If you visit during winter, you might see the waterfall frozen.

Length: 6.5 miles

Intensity: Difficult

Fishing & Boating

In the nearby Mammoth Lakes, you can catch rainbow trout, Alpers trout, and brown trout. You can also go boating, water skiing, tubing, and wakeboarding on Mammoth Lakes. There are plenty of fishing and boating opportunities at Inyo National Forest, too. It features 1,000 miles of rivers and streams and 400 lakes. Golden trout, rainbow trout, brown trout, and brook trout are some of the common species caught here.

Climbing

You can go climbing in the Mammoth Lakes and Bishop areas in the Inyo National Forest. Popular mountains to climb include Emerson, Agassiz, Ritter, and Crystal Crag.

Wildlife Viewing

You'll have a chance to see bighorn sheep, mule deer, bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears in the Inyo National Forest. In the winter, you might see a bald eagle. Other birds that you could spot in the national forest include cliff swallows, water dippers, and great horned owls.

Picnicking

Areas to have a picnic include Reds Meadow, the Minaret Vista, the Mono County Park, Rock Creek Lake, and the Whitney Portal Area in the Inyo National Forest. Reds Meadow Campground has bear-proof lockers and flush toilets. Access to this campground is only possible during summer. You'll love the views at the Minaret Vista, an overlook of the Minarets, Reds Meadow Valley, and the Ansel Adams Wilderness.

Winter Sports

Skiing, snowshoeing, backcountry snowboarding, snowmobiling, mushing, sledding, and tubing are the winter sports you can engage in at the Inyo National Forest. Mammoth Lakes, Mammoth Mountain, and June Mountain are popular skiing areas.

Hunting

Hunting is allowed in certain areas during designated seasons in the Inyo National Forest. Game you could hunt includes mule deer, grouse, dove, quail, waterfowl, and chukar.

Bureau of Land Management Camping

RV Camping

RV camping near Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs is possible at Bishop Park Campground, Lake Mary Campground, and Lone Pine Campground. Bishop Park Campground features a creek and can accommodate small RVs. It also has flush toilets and drinking water. Lake Mary Campground offers proximity to Mammoth Lakes as well as flush toilets and potable water. You can buy firewood at Lone Pine Campground and use the vault toilets there.

Free Camping

Bureau of Land Management free camping is available at Volcanic Tableland BLM Dispersed Camping. Other areas that offer dispersed camping include Highlands RV Park and Big Tree Campground.

RV Rentals Near Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs Plan your next adventure

Credit: Vanna Mae, @vannamaeart

Planning your Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs BLM trip

You probably won't have a cell phone signal at the Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs, so you should bring emergency supplies and a physical map. The historic site isn't close to amenities either. Remember to top off your gas at the nearest city before driving to the Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs. Ideally, you'll want to choose a four-wheel-drive vehicle for this trip. You'll need to drive several miles on a gravel road before reaching your destination.

You're not allowed to touch the petroglyph rocks because oils from your hands could damage them. Climbing the rocks isn't allowed, either, to protect them from deterioration. Check fire regulations before starting a campfire when you camp in this region. You may need a California campfire permit if you're not using a fire ring. Fire restrictions are sometimes in place when the conditions are prime for wildfires.

Camping in this region offers the opportunity to enjoy breathtaking views. The stone buttes in the Chidago Canyon Petrogylphs are located above a valley floor, providing beautiful views of the valley below. Camping in the region is also a great way to escape the stresses of daily life to recharge your batteries. Before you head out on your trip, check out our blog for all you need to know about BLM camping.

Leave No Trace

Cleaning up after yourself and respecting the land and historic sites is important for preserving them. The Bureau of Land Management and other similar organizations sometimes have to shut down access to certain areas because of people not following the Leave No Trace rules. You shouldn't draw on anything on the land, not even with chalk. You can take pictures and videos to enhance the memories of your trip. All trash, even food scraps and peels, must be thrown into a trash receptacle before you leave or packed out when you go.

Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs Location

The Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs is in a remote location about 30 miles north of Bishop, California. From Bishop, head down US-6 E to Black Rock Canyon Road/Black Rock Mine Road. Turn left onto Fish Slough Road. After 5.5 miles on this road, you'll turn right and continue for 1.3 miles, then turn left. Just over 2 miles down the road, you'll reach your destination.

Ready to visit Chidago Canyon Petroglyphs? An RV rental is a great way to experience your destination. Not only will you be close to all the action, but at the end of a long day exploring, you’ll have your RV to return to for the night where you’ll enjoy a full kitchen, bathroom, and nice soft bed. Not sure about renting an RV? Here’s a step-by-step guide to renting an RV with RVshare.