If you’ve ever driven across Highway 50, you’ve probably noticed the sign for the Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Area. This roadside attraction is a surprisingly great spot for horseback riding. The free Bureau of Land Management site features a day use area, campground, ancient petroglyphs, and access to some spectacular riding country.
The petroglyph trail is one mile long. It leads past several panels of carvings made by Western Shoshone who lived and hunted here approximately 10,000 years ago. The petroglyphs include curved, straight, and intersecting lines, horseshoe-shaped glyphs, and some that appear to depict animals. Time has eroded some of the carvings, so you’ll need to take your time and really look. Unfortunately, the site has also been damaged by vandals in some places.
The trail also includes a short spur that climbs to a great scenic overlook. It does have a short set of stairs at the beginning. They are easier to ride up than down, but doable either way with a careful horse. At the top, there are 360 views of the Toiyabe, Toquima, and Monitor Ranges, and all the valleys in between. After coming back down, you can complete the petroglyph loop trail.
The petroglyph trail is well maintained, easy to follow, and, with the exception of the overlook spur, has nothing technical. This is a popular spot for travelers, so you can expect to see other people on the trail or in the day use area.
The cultural history at this site is pretty special, but the real draw for horseback visitors is the trail beyond the petroglyphs. At the end of the main petroglyph loop trail, you can ride a connector trail to a larger trail through BLM land. This unnamed trail is open to hikers and horses only (though we did see bike tracks) and it leads through some surprisingly beautiful country. A single-track trail leads through thick pinyon and juniper forests with dramatic rock walls. And best of all, you can make a loop.
The full lollipop loop is about 4.3 miles and includes about 550 feet of elevation gain. You can also break off the main trail and make a shorter loop through Ackerman Spring, a year-round spring with a big water trough that your horse will appreciate. This is perfect Nevada high desert riding. The views are lovely, it smells divine, and it is very quiet. Do keep an eye out for wild horses though.
Getting Here
Where to Park: You have two options for parking, depending on which fork in the road you take when you pull off Highway 50.
Option 1: Day Use & Camping Area
The fork to the left leads to the main Petroglyph day use parking area and camping area. The day use parking area is a small loop, but can fit a couple of small rigs. There is a bathroom and trash cans, but no water. Here you will find the main trailhead for the petroglyph trail and the connector trail to the second parking area. This is a popular spot, so definitely pack out manure from the parking lot.
Option 2: Equestrian Parking Lot
The fork to the right leads to a small loop parking area with several hitching posts for horses. You could fit a few small rigs here. This is a primitive parking area – there are no bathrooms or trash cans. Here you will find the connector trail to the petroglyph site as well as the trailhead for the unnamed BLM trail. The road to this parking area is dirt and a bit rocky in places, so we do not recommend bringing an LQ on it.
Trail Maps
