UNESCO Rock Paintings of Sierra San Francisco
The rock paintings of Sierra San Francisco make up the most important prehistoric rock art compound in the entire Americas. They were declared a Cultural World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1993 and it’s all yours to discover! Spread across this volcanic mountain range, with its deep canyons and beautiful rock formations, you will find a complex of old rock art sites.
It really is an extraordinary place, one that visitors to Baja California do not often expect to see. The paintings date as far back as 100 BCE and are a mysterious testimony to the beliefs and shamanistic rituals of the first dwellers in this area. The images, which often include animals and ritualistic ceremonies, were painted onto the rock using mineral pigments and volcanic powders. Thanks to the arid climate, the images have remained remarkably well preserved and some of them are huge murals, meters high.
A typical tour would start at about 9am and you’ll be back by about 2pm. Heading along the highway towards the mountainous region of Sierra San Francisco, the scenery changes dramatically. Along the way, you’ll get to see the highest mountain in the region, Pico Santa Monica (5216m). The road also zig zags up to several view points, offering amazing views into the valleys and canyons below. Once we get to the visitor’s centre, a local rancher will be available to guide you through the area. They have their own particular history and are often referred to as the “last real Californians”. The rock art is what draws people to the area but the scenery is equally captivating and this region is the only place in Southern Baja California where you can find several plant species that are emblematic and endemic to Baja.
