Hohokam Rock Art

The prehistoric rock art in Tempe and the rest of the valley was made by the Hohokam, who were the inhabitants of this area between A.D. 1 and 1450. Hohokam rock art images are inscribed into the surface of rocks and are referred to as petroglyphs. The best place to view Hohokam petroglyphs in Tempe is along the trail on the south side of Hayden Butte Preserve (also known as Tempe Butte or A Mountain).

There are over 500 individual petroglyphs pecked into the rock outcrops on Hayden Butte, the majority of which were made by the Hohokam. Like most Hohokam rock art images, they include many designs such as spirals, concentric circles and wavy or zigzag lines. Some of the petroglyphs depict human-like figures, lizards and other four-legged animals resembling deer. The petroglyphs on the butte date between A.D. 700 and 1450, and are probably associated with a large village that stood where Sun Devil Stadium is situated.

If you visit Hayden Butte Preserve, make sure to use good rock art manners and follow the regulations for Tempe preserves listed in Chapter 23, Article V, Division 2 of the Tempe City Code.

Stay tuned for an online photographic gallery of petroglyphs from Hayden Butte!