V-Bar-V Petroglyph Site

Date Visited: May 28, 2026

Location: Near Sedona, Arizona

Type: Petroglyph Site

Cost: $5 for parking/National Park Passes accepted

Difficulty: 1/4 mile flat walk to site

Time Required: 1–2 hours

Accessibility: There is a 1/4 mile walk to the petroglyph site from the visitors' center.

Dog Friendly: No

Best For: History lovers, scenery, photography, families

First Impressions

The drive to the site is passable by most non-4WD vehicles. Be aware that most of the access road is gravel and there are several one lane bridges that need to be crossed. The last mile of road is also one lane so one must occasionally pull to the side of the road to allow oncoming cars to pass. The parking lot is gravel and contains a ticketing machine - it costs $5 to park unless one has a US National Park pass. The visitors' center is located nearby and should be visited first before continuing on trail to the site.

What We Saw

The petroglyph site contains over 1000 glyphs and one is allowed to get quite close to the cliff surface via a ramp system. This area is only open when a ranger or volunteer is present. There are a wide variety of petroglyphs related to the Sinagua people who also built Montezuma's Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments which are nearby. According to the official website, the petroglyphs seen are indicative of: the Beaver Creek Style - which is diagnostic of the Southern Sinagua between A.D. 1150 and 1400.

The petrogyphs are numerous and highly variable, showing both geometric designs and more realistic depictions of animals and people. The volunteers are very knowledgable and sometimes include talks on archeoastronomy.

Good To Know

The site is also known as the Crane Petroglyph Heritage Site. The road conditions are rustic but passable. Be aware that the site is only open when a volunteer is present and hours are restricted. Check the website to find out when it is open. The site was not crowded when I was there. There are pit toilets available near the petroglyphs. It can get extremely hot in the summer and water is not available at the site.

Would We Go Again?

I would absolutely visit again, but not during the extreme heat of the summer. I recommend it to anyone with an interest in rock art or the history of ancient American cultures. This site can be combined with visits to Montezuma's Well and Castle National Monuments; Tuzigoot National Monument and the nearby Apache Casino.