The area known as the Pahranagat Valley today was known in much earlier times as the Beautiful Valley by the Paiute people.  They had their origin at a nearby mountain peak surrounding the valley, called Coyote’s Jaw.  At the southern end of the valley is an old lake bed, which they believe is the origin place for the red tail hawk.  At this site, you can find a few petroglyphs and some grinding stones (known as metates).  The most interesting petroglyph has been nicknamed “The Twins.”  Per Dr. Stoffle (SWCA Project No. 16983, SWCA Cultural Resources Report No. 2011-547, December 2011), the origin story is:

The Origin Story says that as the hawk sat on the edge of the cliffs that define the
lake, his tail dipped into the water and received a white stripe on it, similar to the white ring of this lake.

This site is located right in the heart of the Pahranagat Valley.  The location is more used as a starting point for the many off-road trails located throughout Lincoln County.  Most of the people drive right by these ancient wonders and don’t even know they’re there.

Please click the images below: