More than 10,000 years ago, Baja California was inhabited by tribes of hunters, gatherers, and farmers like the Kumiai ethnicity. These groups settled from the town of Santo Tomás to the coasts of San Diego, California. As a legacy of their presence in Mexican lands, they left a collection of 18 rock paintings that make up the El Vallecito archaeological site, located in La Rumorosa.
The site is still surrounded by piñon pine forests that were utilized by the Kumiai Indians during the summer. The fruit was considered sacred to this tribe, and as evidence of this, rituals are depicted in the caves and rocks of El Vallecito. Additionally, it can be observed that they used rock art to mark the date of the winter solstice and guide their migration to escape intense snowfall.
Six sets of paintings and petroglyphs are open to the public, accessible via a two-kilometer thematic trail. To complement the visit, there is a site museum exhibiting remnants of ancient hearths and ceramic fragments found during excavations in the archaeological area.
El Vallecito is located at kilometer 73.5 of La Rumorosa in a northward direction. It has a camping area and parking facilities to accommodate visitors.
