Griffith Canyon

Griffith Canyon is an approximately 2 mile out-and-back hike north of Reno that leads to several galleries of petroglyphs. While there are several trails in the area leading to petroglyphs, the Griffith Canyon trail is the easiest route to see the displays of native art. The trail is unmarked, but is known and moderately trafficked, so reaching the petroglyphs should be no issue for those with moderate hiking abilities. Parking is along a pullout on a hairpin curve on Pyrenees Drive in Spanish Springs. A faint footpath is visible directly across the road, where it descends into the canyon wash. The path is rough and sometimes features jagged rock at the creek bottom, which is dry most of the year. The first petroglyph galleries can be seen about a third of a mile down the canyon, with several examples lining the canyon on flat rock surfaces. The best petroglyphs are reached about 0.75 mile down the canyon, where drawings cover most of the surface of a 12-foot stone slab. Beyond these walls, the canyon opens up, and while it can be walked farther, there are little features of note as the creekbed continues toward the rural edge of the Spanish Springs developments. There are no amenities or signs of any kind. Hikers should be prepared for a primitive hiking route down a mostly shadeless path.