Featuring Grapevine and Keyhole Canyons
The Colorado River is the major watershed of the Southwestern United States. It is now tamed by a number of major dams, including the well-known Hoover Dam, south and east of Las Vegas.
In this Niche we will explore two public sites: Grapevine and Keyhole Canyons. Both of these sites have beautiful rock art and spectacular solar interactions. They are as unique and culturally valuable as almost any other site in our region. Taken together, they would form an outstanding way to get into the field. Grapevine Canyon, in particular, rates more hiking and scrambling to appreciate than most people do. Some of the more remarkable panels are some distance up the canyon and up the canyon walls.
Grapevine Canyon has lent its name to a style of rock art that can be found within a radius of tens of miles. Some would say the Grapevine style extends as far north as Gold Butte in our Virgin River South Niche.
For our purposes, many other nonpubic sites range along the river from the Lake Mead area to a number of sites seemingly radiating out from Grapevine Canyon. The Grapevine Style ranges as far as sites in California and Arizona.
The slideshow above includes photos from other sites reflecting the Grapevine style and occupying special niches remarkable in their own right. There are dozens of sites in this Niche that we have yet to explore.
Facilities are located in Laughlin, NV, Bullhead City, AZ, and Las Vegas. Responsible agencies include the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.
Approximate travel time to base at Laughlin, NV: 101 miles; one hour, 57 minutes.