March 19 and 21, 2025.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Texas State Parks preserves several native rock art sites in West Texas. We booked a few guided hikes in order to see them. In Seminole Canyon State Park, we visited two separate protected sites on different guided walks in addition to a hike we did on our own. You can check their website to learn about and register for hikes like these. Type in the name of the state park and then select “Tours and tickets” to see what’s available. Based on our experiences, I highly recommend if you’re in the area.
Presa Canyon guided hike
We were extremely lucky to join this hike, which had four experienced guides plus one other visitor. We were immersed in knowledge for the entire day! Per our emailed directions, we met the crew on the back porch of the visitor center, listened to the orientation and set out on our adventure. It was going to be a hot day, so we reveled in the early morning shade for as long as we could. The lead volunteer warned us about all the bushwhacking and spiny plants and scrambling we would encounter, but much of the hike ended up being pretty benign.
Our route followed a broad canyon with a smooth bottom and towering walls. It reminded me of our visit to Capitol Reef. I lingered toward the back of the group so I could scan the area for wildflowers and critters. I couldn’t tell if the guy designated as sweep was annoyed with all my stopping and starting or if he didn’t care. I’m guessing the latter. Every time I saw a blooming plant, I squealed a little and whipped out my phone for a picture.
In addition to my micro-stops, the group stopped regularly for breaks. The lead guide ensured we were all drinking enough water and getting appropriate rest. Soon, the sun rose above the canyon wall and filled the half-pipe of a canyon we occupied. A few feral goats joined our adventure for a bit and they were delightful to watch.
When we arrived at the huge overhang with the cave art, we stopped for lunch. I quickly pulled out my painting kit and furiously began sketching. Not knowing how long we’d stay there, I wanted to get started on my own artwork. As the others finished their lunches, they all headed up to view the art more closely. I sat and finished my sketch first before joining them. The guide used a laser pointer to help interpret which parts of the art she was describing. For art this old, there is a lot left up to interpretation. Even modern descendants of these ancient peoples only have some vague ideas from stories passed down through generations.
We contemplated what the pigment on the rock might have meant to the people who took the time to create those shapes. I thought of the difficulty of producing such large and precise images as well as the labor required to make the pigment. This was a serious investment, unlike the quick hour it took me to make a small image on my page. And all I had to do was buy the pre-made brushes and paints. There were a lot of things swirling around my mind at this point in the hike.
On the return hike, we investigated some fossils we’d missed on the way in. With so much expertise in the group, we chatted more about the local history, geology and other places to visit nearby. Two of the experts actually grew up in the nearby town, so the depth of their knowledge was overwhelming.
Back at the Visitor Center, one of the volunteers invited us to meet up at a nearby bar and grill for burgers and beers. We obliged. Dos Equis in a frosty mug and a big plate of food never tasted so good.
To the Rio Grande
After spending a day at a nearby unit of Devil’s River State Natural Area, we returned to Seminole Canyon for more hiking. I saw a route that led to an overlook of the Rio Grande and that captured my imagination. We made a loop out of the Canyon Rim and Rio Grande Trails. We stood in awe of the handful of cactus blooms and the profusion of striking, red ocotillo flowers. The trail was nice and well graded. From our pathway, we could look down into the canyon we’d hiked the other day.
Near the mid-point of the loop, we reached an alleged viewpoint of an enormous panther painted over 1500 years ago. That is, it would be a viewpoint if there weren’t so many trees in front of the art. Oh well, we went to sit down in the shaded gazebo anyway. But at that moment, a van pulled up and unloaded a dozen people. We got up and walked down the trail to find a quieter place to take our break.
It ended up being a blessing, because we ended up finding a rocky perch above the Rio Grande. We couldn’t see the water from there because its banks were so green and lush. The thick willows created an illusion of a green river standing between us and Mexico. The birds seemed to like it, so we practiced our bird identification as we ate our lunch.
The rest of the hike was a blur. We hiked in the oppressive heat with no shade along a boring trail that also served as a jeep road. I was glad to get back to the van where I could cool off and regroup before our last hike.
Fate Bell Pictograph guided hike
Compared to our first tour at this park, the Fate Bell hike was a bit of a let down. Unfortunately, the staff member who was supposed to lead it called in sick so we were left with a backup. While she was very nice, she had never taken a tour group down there before and she didn’t know much about the site. After that lackluster introduction, I decided to live in the back of the group and look for lizards and flowers. That was enough to keep me entertained for the duration of the short hike. The other disadvantage was that it was scheduled to leave at 3 pm, which was the hottest part of the day.
Some things I learned about this site from the Internet:
- It’s named after Fate Bell, the person who owned the land before it got into the hands of the Texas State Parks.
- Unfortunately, much of the history of the site was lost to looters.
- The pictographs that still exist on the walls “are among the best documented and best preserved of the Pecos River style”
- This style is characterized by the human-like shapes called anthropomorphs, often posed with their arms out (just like my top of the mountain pose)
- The site was used by indigenous people for over 8,000 years. That fact alone makes my head spin. Here in the United States, we think 400 years of history is “so old.” It does put things in perspective.
Despite the heat and the disappointing second tour, I did enjoy our visit to this and many other Texas State Parks. I have a great deal of respect for people who do their best to steward public lands in the states that are so hostile to having anything of public good.