To find this art work. Requires a bit of an adventure. Roughly located in the hills and large rocks above the “living ghost town” of Chloride, Arizona. A short distance off the main paved highway between Las Vegas, Nevada and Kingman, Arizona. (off Highway 93).
Chloride Arizona
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Chloride (1862) in itself might be a destination for some. Those wondering souls that love to roam around the back roads, ghost towns, nearly ghost towns, or what some refer to as “living ghost towns”. Old western places that originated the 1800’s or early 1900’s. Chloride is a small collection of run down looking buildings, and a few people that call it home.
The area is home to numerous old mines. Mines for Silver and Gold mainly. Certainly not home to tree’s or apparent water sources.
The murals were painted by Roy Purcell in 1966. An interesting story in itself. Purcell ending up in Chloride to labor as a miner.
The murals are about one and a half miles up the hills from Chloride. A gravel road journey that eventually narrows down to a very rough gravel road. More akin to a 4×4 road.
You eventually come to a “Y” in the gravel road. Be sure to hang a right at the “Y”. There is no signage concerning the Murals (or wasn’t).
I was greeted by some unfriendly types in a pickup truck at the left in the “Y”. They said there was a mining operation that way. Also pointing to signs at a gate clearly indicating private property, and no trespassing. Part of me understood the cold conversation if they deal with mural seeking people every day. But frankly, I have never run into such a cool reception anywhere. I had no intentions of going that way. I just wasn’t sure I was even on the right road in the first place. They didn’t even offer something like, “the murals are up that way about another half mile”. Basically just don’t go their way.
I drove off to the right. Conjuring up visions of some type of illegal operation up the other road. I guess I watch too many TV shows. LOL.
My visit was with a high clearance 2 wheel drive vehicle. I made the last half a mile on foot. Hiking the rough road that I wasn’t willing to sacrifice my vehicle on, to avoid a hike. There is a rather large flat area where you can park off the road at the point I started out on foot.
Hiking the road is better than many trails. Though it is rather steep and winds up and around the side of hills. Off on the other side there is a substantial valley and another steep hill across the way. I believe this 4×4 road eventually snakes around and crosses over a pass on that distant hill?
After you hike this last half mile or so. The murals will be tucked away in a place that the gravel road makes a big sweeping 180° to traverse the side of the other hill that was off in the distance. In desert terrain, of the type, I found myself consciously watching for rattlesnakes. Kind of a 6th sense you better pay attention to, in these kinds of places.
The time I was there. I was the only person. It was a very surreal experience. Since this is in the desert southwest. It is not the place to be during the height of summer heat. Especially since it is rather remote and not overrun with people.
The murals are generally facing the rising sun, and that also depends on the time of year. Which becomes important to photographers that may not want to be shooting photos with the sun directly in front of the camera.
Get ready for images that might transport those of us that grew up in the 1960-1970 back to that era? To me it was a collectic mixture of Hippie type images, Egyptian, Astrology, Biblical, and Native American. Thought provoking, if you sit there, take it all in. Then attempt to explain what you are seeing.
Hiking the immediate area of the huge rocks. I also found numerous rock markings I am sure are ancient Native American Petroglyphs. Rock Art, maps, or symbols from another era. The whole area had the look of were I often stumble into Petroglyphs in the desert southwest.
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Chloride Arizona
Petroglyphs?
