Evidence indicates that the people camped in the shelters for a few days at a time while they were using the area. The shelters were used as early as AD 1100 and use continued into historic times. The trail meanders along the bench on the edge of Grapevine wash. As it approaches the canyon mouth, the first petroglyph panels can be seen on the boulders and cliff faces on either side of the wash. The designs and figures carved here pose many questions.
Some researchers speculate that the petroglyphs formed a part of a ritual or ceremonial observance.
Perhaps they relate the story of what happened in the area centuries ago. Determining the exact age of the petroglyphs is difficult. Return to Top Spirit Mountain Grapevine Canyon lies to the south of Spirit Mountain, the highest peak in the Newberry Mountains. Rising to an elevation of 5,639 feet above sea level, Spirit Mountain and the surrounding canyons are sacred grounds for the Yuman tribes of the lower Colorado River. The mountain plays a prominent role in the religion and mythology of these people.