Petroglyph Point
Geometric and figurative petroglyphs made by Modoc ancestors cover tuff walls once reached by canoe.
Artwork inspired by E. Charlton Fortune
Geometric and figurative petroglyphs made by Modoc ancestors cover tuff walls once reached by canoe. Agricultural drainage transformed the surrounding lake, making environmental history inseparable from cultural meaning. The essential frame combines carvings—5,000+—with park—Lava Beds—and access—Managed trail.
Walk the managed trail slowly, use changing light to reveal shallow carving, and compare cliff height with the former waterline described by park interpretation. Never touch, chalk, wet, or trace rock art; summer heat, rattlesnakes, and an exposed access road require planning. Move deliberately from tuff cliff to former shoreline, then use Modoc petroglyphs as a check on the first impression rather than as another box to tick.
- Carvings
- 5,000+
- Park
- Lava Beds
- Access
- Managed trail
Quick guide
- First read
- Walk the managed trail slowly, use changing light to reveal shallow carving, and compare cliff height with the former waterline described by park interpretation.
- Then notice
- Compare tuff cliff with former shoreline, then use Modoc petroglyphs to test what the site is trying to communicate.
Know before you go
- First read
- Walk the managed trail slowly, use changing light to reveal shallow carving, and compare cliff height with the former waterline described by park interpretation.
- Then notice
- Compare tuff cliff with former shoreline, then test that reading against Modoc petroglyphs.
- Place in context
- Carvings: 5,000+; Park: Lava Beds; Access: Managed trail
- Plan the arrival
- For Petroglyph Point, use Petroglyph Point, Modoc County Rd 126, Tulelake, CA 96134 as the reviewed public arrival point. Before visiting Petroglyph Point, confirm current road, parking, reservation.
Good to know
Never touch, chalk, wet, or trace rock art; summer heat, rattlesnakes, and an exposed access road require planning.
Notice these
- tuff cliff
- former shoreline
- Modoc petroglyphs