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Falling Man Rock Art Site -- Return to the Trailhead
Hiking Around Las Vegas, Gold Butte National Monument
Falling Man Rock Art Site
Falling Man
Falling Man (view W)

Overview

The Falling Man Rock Art Site is a fascinating area where people once lived and wrote Rock Stories (petroglyphs and pictographs) on the crags and walls. Hiking to and returning from the Falling Man panel, people might notice habitation sites and petroglyphs on crags and boulders along the trail, providing evidence of lives lived here.

It is interesting to consider the lives of the people who once lived here. These people were every bit as modern as we "modern humans," but they didn't have book learning. They were thoughtful problem solvers, and so they wrote on the rocks instead. When considering how they lived here, realize that the environment was considerably cooler and wetter than today.

Presented here are photos of the return from the end of the regular Falling Man Trail. For a detailed description of the route, including directions, maps, GPS coordinates, and photos, see Falling Man Trail. There are several spots to see on the return, and consider looking off the beaten path. Be sure to click the links to see more photos of each spot.

Lower Wall Site
Hiker descending from the broad, flat Ledge (view W)

From the Upper Panel, hikers retrace their steps to the Ledge and descend back past the Bigfoot Site to the bottom of the wash near Newspaper Rock. In the wash, hikers return uphill to the lower end of the tinajas. Scrambling across the slickrock, hikers pass the Tinaja Site heading east and return to the sandy area (Wpt. 08) adjacent to the Amphitheater Site.

To follow the outbound route, hikers would turn left to head back west across the Amphitheater Site, but this time, hikers stay right across the sandy area. Before leaving the sandy area, notice faint petroglyphs and pictographs on the white sandstone wall on the north edge of the sandy area. The petroglyphs are faint, but in good afternoon lighting, they are quite impressive.

In the sandy area, returning hikers turn east and follow a use-trail across the sand to a low point in the sandstone crags where hikers can easily hike up onto the sandstone, now heading north. Hiking north, hikers notice use-trails in the sand to the right. These are longer routes used by horsemen.

Lower Wall Site
Descending the ramp past Bigfoot Site (view SE)

Staying on the sandstone, hikers will soon arrive atop a low cliff that give the impression of an impassable route. Nonetheless, walking up to the edge at the lowest point, hikers will see a pile of flat boulders that make for an easy hop-down to the desert floor below. For hikers to feel this looks too scary, there is a more difficult and more dangerous, but seemingly easier and safer route to the right (follow lowest sandy use-trail on the right). Horsemen need to stay even farther right and climb around a high knob in order to find a horse-friendly route to the desert floor below.

On the desert floor, hikers continue north and quickly arrive at the end of the old-road trail.

Before leaving the base of the hop-down, walk into the alcove on the left (west) and consider the rock stories written and painted on the shady rocks.

From there, returning hikers can walk back out the old-road trail to the Falling Man Trailhead (Wpt. 01).

Lower Wall Site
Descending towards the wash (view SE)
Falling Man
Hikers returning towards the trailhead (view SE)
Falling Man
Hiker back at the lowest tinaja (view E)
Falling Man
Hikers past the lowest tinaja (view NE)
Falling Man
Hikers past the upper tinajas (view NE)
Falling Man
Be sure to look for petroglyphs missed on the way in (view N)
Falling Man
Petroglyph panel to find during return to trailhead
Falling Man
A very old petroglyph panel to find during the return
Falling Man
Hikers in the Sandy area below the Amphitheater (view N)
Falling Man
Pictographs and petroglyphs in the Sandy Area (view N)
Falling Man
Sandy Area Pictographs and petroglyphs (view N)
Falling Man
Sandy Area Pictographs on petroglyphs (view N)
Falling Man
Sandy Area Petroglyphs (view N)
Falling Man
Colorful sandstone crag east of the Sandy Area (view NE)
Falling Man
Hikers on use-trail crossing the sandy area (view E)
Falling Man
Hikers on use-trail exiting the sandy area onto slickrock (view E)
Falling Man
Hikers continuing north across another sandy area (view N)
Falling Man
Hikers continuing onto more slickrock (view N)
Falling Man
Approaching "jump-off" ledge (view N)
Falling Man
Hikers below and above "jump-off" ledge (view N)
Falling Man
Hikers atop "jump-off" ledge pondering an alternative route (view N)
Falling Man
"Jump-off" ledge (view N)
Falling Man
Looking down from atop the "jump-off" ledge (view N)
Falling Man
Hikers actually "hop off" onto stack of flat boulders (view N)
Falling Man
Hiker scooching towards the edge (view E)
Falling Man
Hiker stepping off the edge (view E)
Falling Man
Hiker hopping onto the boulder with one foot first (view E)
Falling Man
... and the last man is safely down (view E)

Alternate to "Jump-Off" Ledge (which is actually harder)

Falling Man
Alternative routes stay right of sandstone slickrock (view NE)
Falling Man
Horse must go over the sandstone outcrop (view NE)
Falling Man
Another horse trail heads over the sandstone outcrop (view NE)
Falling Man
Hikers trail runs out to the edge (view NE)
Falling Man
Hiker trail traverses rocky slope (view NE)
Falling Man
Hiker trail drops to a sandy ledge (view NE)
Falling Man
Hikers scramble down the cliff (view NE)
Falling Man
On the ground, hikers turn back towards the regular route (view W)
Falling Man
Passing "jump-off" ledge, which might have been easier (view W)
Falling Man
Back on the regular route (view N)

The Route Continues

Falling Man
Hikers below "jump-off" ledge (view N from atop "jump-off" ledge)
Falling Man
Trail returns back over the agave roasting pits
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Falling Man
Hikers approaching the trailhead (view N)
Falling Man
Arriving back at the trailhead (view N)

Table 2. Hiking Coordinates Based on GPS Data (NAD27, UTM Zone 11S). Download Hiking GPS Waypoints (*.gpx) file.

Wpt Location Easting Northing Elevation (ft) Point-to-Point Distance (mi) Cumulative Distance (mi) Verified
01 Trailhead 752138 4044187 2,393 0.00 0.00 GPS
02 Falling Man Panel 751967 4043745 2,432 0.33 0.33 GPS

Happy Hiking! All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240325

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