Buffington Pockets

Buffington Pockets Table of Contents

• Topo Map
• Photographs
• Approach route; Bitter Springs Byway
• Geology; Aztec sandstone
• Petroglyphs
• Rock formations
• Nearby places
• Similar places

Photographs

70 views of Buffington Pockets.

Approach Route

Bitter Springs Byway forks southwards off Valley of Fire Road opposite a bend, 3 miles from I-15. The road is straight at first, past cross-road junctions after 0.5, 2.6 and 4.0 miles, this latter signed, to the southwest, to Color Rock Quarry, another interesting sandstone area. The byway proceeds another mile to a lesser junction, now very close to the north end of the Pockets - a suitable place for 2WD vehicles to park, since the road then descends to the streambed and becomes rougher. Up to this point, the surface is in places covered with many sharp stones but most vehicles including small RVs should be able to make it this far.

Buffington Pockets Geology

Aztec sandstone is composed of two units - an upper band, generally red, and a lower band, mostly white to pale brown. This latter unit forms most of the southern section of Buffington Pockets, around and south of the byway, where colorful formations seem somewhat more limited; the most photogenic area is to the north, where the upper unit is exposed. Here, the base color is enhanced by presence of iron compounds - haematite (iron oxide), and goethite (iron hydroxide). Haematite creates shades of red and orange, the precise color dependent on crystal size, while goethite (together with small amounts of two iron sulphide compounds, jarosite and alunite) result in shades of yellow and purple. The color variations, often striped, curved or irregularly swirling, are the result of what are known as alteration bands, and they combine with faults and joints to create an endless variety of patterns.

Petroglyphs

From the 2WD parking place, the byway descends into the streambed of the wash and follows it through a shallow valley, with pinkish bedrock exposed along the drainage. The land opens out a little after 0.7 miles and the track leaves the wash to the east; the streambed continues south into quite a narrow ravine, partially blocked after a short distance by a concrete dam, bearing a large mural of a flying snowy owl, created around 2019. 500 feet upstream of the dam, the ravine narrows further, its floor now entirely bare rock, and containing a few residual pools. The cliffs at either side are adorned with many petroglyphs, the best panel a little way up on the east side. More petroglyphs can be found along cliffs on the south side of the open area, just after the road leaves the wash - all are created on the dark patina of brown sandstone rock faces. Most are not so clear, in part because the rocks are naturally rather uneven and coarse-grained.

Rock Formations

Either side of the drainage are large areas of light-colored sandstone, pretty enough but rather uniform in hue, and without too many distinctive formations, though they do contain many little cavities and arches. The scenery becomes more interesting to the north - over a low peak and across a drainage, as here the rocks change to red, the upper unit of the Aztec sandstone, where the full range of colors are on display, in an area about 0.5 by 0.3 miles in extent, roughly bordered by two minor washes to north and south. Many hours could be spent exploring; much of the exposed rocks are split by cavities and gullies, concealing countless photogenic features. The return walking route is along either of the two washes that approach from the west; they soon meet a curving track which leads back to the 2WD parking place.

Buffington Pockets - Nearby Places

• Lake Mead (25 miles) - large lake on the Colorado River
• Valley of Fire State Park (15 miles) - extensive outcrops of red, yellow and pink rocks

Buffington Pockets - Similar Places

• Buckskin Hollow, Utah - eroded, stripy, thin-layered rocks
• Little Finland, Nevada - colorful sandstone outcrops