During World War II, soldiers training in the desert north of Yuma, Arizona, started decorating a site they called Graffiti Mesa a Valley of Names using rocks to write out their names in the white sand. They expressed their feelings by placing stones on a piece of deserted land. They hoped that, even if they may never return home, their loved ones would get to see their message.
The different sizes and shapes of rocks have taken many years to take in 10,000 names embedded in the desert floor maintained by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). The Valley of the Names is covered in beautiful white sand, which creates a strong contrast against the dark-colored rocks. Due to the fact, that the land is barren for miles, each person must bring their rocks from the outlying desert.
The traditional treasure continued on after the war and the graffitied area bigger and bigger. Nowadays over 1,200 acres of land are decorated with signatures, messages, dates, initials, and drawings. The mesa, commonly known as the “Valley of the Names,” is located in Winterhaven, California.
It is made up of hard-packed white sand, and the earliest names are arranged using black lava rocks that stand in sharp contrast. It is well preserved land-filled area, where you can express your feelings by placing stones on a piece of deserted land. The land is barren for miles around, which means the rocks must be brought in from the outlying desert.
Some people have cheated by bringing bricks and spray-painted rocks from home. If you have a message or name then you require a 4-wheel drive vehicle to access the area. Once there, it’s likely to drive down, around, and through the hills and valleys covered by this exclusive rock art. Hence, you have to bring your own rocks; there are plenty of black rocks on the road leading in. People still leave their distinctive notes to loved ones nowadays.
This unique dessert has scheduled a clean-up day when people go out there to clear away debris from the desert winds and replace rocks that might have been washed away in a storm. People are coming here on trips in Trackers, Jeeps or Rangers to fresh their memories which they have written even 20 years ago. Today they use the technology of GPS and record the coordinates so they can remember where it’s at, even find their name without that.
Source: Unusual Places Atlas Obscura RV West!