HOTW012: White Shaman Preserve

Heart of Texas Wildlife Trail - West 

That's the Pecos River.  Hidden down there are some amazing paintings between 1,000 and 100 years old.  

The Rock Art Foundation conducts weekly tours of the White Shaman Shelter.  I was extremely tired and sore from the Pressa Canyon tour the day before, but this was the main reason I drove so many miles to get here.

  
I came to see him - the White Shaman.  My photos cannot compare to being there in person.  The hike is not as difficult as Pressa Canyon, but it does require a somewhat steep descent into the canyon and then up non-regulation "stairs" (more like a stone ladder).  There is a chain along the most difficult parts which proved very helpful.      

There are also displays depicting the people that lived here and what life may have been like for them.

Although this is part of the wildlife trail and there is certainly wildlife to be found in this area, including bears and mountain lions, our tour did not coincide with prime viewing hours.  We saw only a lone deer spooked by one of the guides on the rim as we were making our ascent at the end of the tour.

The only restroom I saw was an outhouse next to the cabin our guide decided to show us even though it was not part of the official tour.  I suggest making a pit stop en-route.  Seminole Canyon SP is 1.4 miles down the road.  If you're camped there, use the facilities before you leave.      

I cannot remember any part of the tour that was wheelchair accessible.    

This week, I'm linking up to Outdoor Wednesday.