Some panels of pictographs at this site are considered to be among the best preserved in Southern California. McCarthy et al suggest the site may have been used for various ceremonies, including the Luise o girls' rites of passage. Upon puberty, these girls took part in a ritual revealing their place and purpose in life. Af the conclusion, boulders were painted with a variety of designs and marked with the handprint of each initiated girl. The Motte Reserve has expanded threefold since 1981.
Additional sites are likely to be discovered, all inviting more research.
Facilities and Use Located within a 20-minute drive from the UC Riverside campus, the Motte Reserve is an ideal place for students to apply what they have learned in the classroom. Many opportunities for scientific investigation are possible at the Reserve, particularly in the areas of habitat fragmentation, species distribution, and archaeology. The newly converted residence on the Reserve provides kitchen and dormitory space for up to fourteen people, and room for small conferences and classes. Many features have been added to the Motte Reserve in an effort to streamline research. Steel posts mark hectare units in a grid that covers the southern half of the Reserve, allowing students and researchers to pinpoint observation sites in the field.