Wonder awaits you at the Witte Museum’s 28th annual Rock Art Rendezvous, February 23-25, 2024! Journey deep into the Lower Pecos Canyonlands to the White Shaman Preserve for a weekend of exploration, demonstrations, camping, moon gazing and more.
Tickets to the Rock Art Rendezvous are $175 per person (non-member)/$150 per person (member) and include:
- Primitive camping spot at the White Shaman Preserve – tent or trailer (26′ max)
- Guided tours of magnificent rock art sites including: The White Shaman, Tinaja Canyon, Fate Bell & Fate Bell Annex, Presa Canyon, Upper Seminole Canyon, Bonfire Shelter & Eagle Cave and Meyers Spring
- People of the Pecos lifeways demonstrations by the Witte’s Education Team and curator conversations with Dr. Harry Shafer, Curator of Archeology, and Dr. Thomas Adams, Chief Curator and VP of Research
- Friday night Snow Moon Star Party with friends from the McDonald Observatory
- Saturday and Sunday morning cowboy coffee and hot oatmeal breakfast
- Saturday night BBQ dinner, raffle and campfire
Location + Arrival + Departure:
The Rock Art Rendezvous takes place at the Witte Museum’s White Shaman Preserve: 1.5 miles west of Seminole Canyon State Park in Val Verde County, approximately 45 minutes west of Del Rio. Gates open at noon on Friday, February 23, 2024. All visitors are to depart no later than 4 p.m. on Sunday, February 25, 2024.
Facilities:
The White Shaman Preserve does NOT have electricity, Wi-Fi, restrooms or potable water. Cell service is intermittent. Portable toilets and water for handwashing will be available. All Rock Art Rendezvous participants have access to the restroom and shower facilities at Seminole Canyon State Park 1.5 miles from the White Shaman Preserve. Camping sites at Seminole Canyon State Park are not included. A small grill for cooking will be available near the fire ring, charcoal and wood will be provided. You are welcome to bring your own gas stoves—no charcoal grills please. Generators and ground fires are prohibited.
Guided Tours:
Tour sign-up begins at 1 p.m. on Friday and 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings. Tour space is limited and is on a first come, first served basis. Anyone staying off-site will need to plan accordingly. Spots on tours are not guaranteed unless you sign up.
Health + Safety:
Participants must be aware of the remote and difficult environmental conditions and terrain into which tours travel. This involves hiking considerable distances, scrambling over rocks and boulders, knee to chest climbs, steep ascents and steep descents, walking in or over loose rock and through thorny dense brush. At any time of the year, desert heat and cold can be extreme. In most cases, medical help and trauma care are several hours away. The Rock Art Rendezvous is for participants 12 years of age and older. All minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. Pets are NOT permitted on the White Shaman Preserve property or on any tour.
Respect for Archeological Sites + Rock Art:
You will be visiting archeological sites while at the White Shaman Preserve and on guided tours during the Rock Art Rendezvous. Please be proud conservation stewards. Removal of any artifact or remain, cultural or paleontological, is prohibited. Help protect these sacred sites by not sharing any location information, including GPS or geotagged information, associated with photos on your phone.
Important Notice:
All Rock Art Rendezvous participants must complete and sign the Liability Release Form before participating. Please read carefully. You will be asked to sign this form when you arrive to check in.
Reservations and Cancellations:
All reservations for the Rock Art Rendezvous must be paid for in advance. Cancellations must be made a minimum of 14 days prior to the Rendezvous to receive a full refund. Cancellations made after the 14 day minimum are non-refundable. Guided tours may be cancelled due to weather conditions, extreme heat/cold/wind, road conditions, river levels, etc. For the safety of the group and the discretion of the guide, tours may be cancelled at any stage during the event for any reason. The Rendezvous goes on rain or shine, hot or cold.
Additional Details:
The White Shaman Preserve is reserved for Rock Art Rendezvous participants however participants are not required to camp on the property. Other locations to stay include Seminole Canyon State Park, Comstock Motel and Comstock RV Park & Camping Cabins. There are numerous hotels in Del Rio however Del Rio is approximately 45 minutes away from the White Shaman Preserve. Please plan accordingly, especially when considering tour sign-up.
