Piedra Pintada: Mysterious Petroglyphs of

Anton Valley
Modern life. Isn’t it absolutely amazing the things that we humans have achieved in the last
few thousand years?  If you think about it, the amount of evolution that has taken place
since the wheel was first invented is astounding! And we are all connected; every recent
achievement has had a door opened by a previous achievement. Every story that is being
told today has a preface that was written yesterday. This is but one reason that ancient art,
cave paintings and carvings are so fascinating to us in the modern world. These gifts from
ancient civilizations help us construct the timeline of where we were, where we are, and
where we are going. One such gift is Piedra Pintada, the giant Painted Rock located in a far
corner of Panama’s Anton Valley, or El Valle de Anton.

Piedra Pintada is a giant rock, the

largest of the petroglyphs and carvings found in the Valle de Anton dating back from the
Pre-Columbian era possibly as many as 8000 years ago.  The mystery of the stories they
told way back then are still here as relics for us and for future generations to discover and
try to decipher.  Because the rock is so ancient, it is hard to say exactly what the message is
but everyone has their own theory.  In the archaeological world it is largely believed that
the paintings are mainly artistic and religious in nature, while historians believe it might be
a harvest calendar indicating tidal swings and the moon’s influence. Still others think it is a
rendering of the surrounding topography: mountains, rivers, and trails, making possibly a
“trade map” of sorts. And there are even communities of people who believe some of the
carvings depict UFOs and alien life.  For a small donation of a few bucks, any of the local
children will happily tell you their own version of the Piedra Pintada.  Although
entertaining, if archaeologists and historians have not yet been able to crack the code of
petroglyphs at La Piedra Pintada, I highly doubt the knowledge of a 7 year old trustworthy.

Whatever it is, one thing is very clear: the Piedra Pintada in Panama has international
attention, and everybody’s got a theory on it!
The main rock is dubbed Piedra Pintada, however there are many others nearby which also
bear markings. Piedra Pintada is the size of a small house, at roughly 10 feet high and 19
feet long, so it is hard to miss! In fact, the entrance to the Piedra Pintada is even wheelchair
accessible! El Valle de Anton is also very accessible by bus or by car, so it’s possible to
make Piedra Pintada a quick stop to “check the box” on your Bucket List, or you could
easily take the better part of a day here, hiking and exploring throughout Anton Valley.  If
you’d rather stick on the straight and narrow, the trail is well marked and easy to find, and
the level of difficulty is low. If you are more adventurous, you may want to hire a guide and
explore the nearby grounds and trails at the base of the India Dormida and up to some
amazing views of the entire Anton Valley.  Along the trails you can find numerous other
rocks with markings just waiting to be interpreted.

Insider tip: While the region itself is relatively crime-free, there have been a lot of break-ins
of cars in the parking lot. Therefore it is recommended that you take a taxi or a less
expensive bus then just take the short walk to the base of the park.  It is actually a very
pleasant walk through a very stunning neighborhood full of lush gardens.  If you want the
full experience of El Valle de Anton, take a one day tour from Panama City.

It’s no secret that ancient

civilizations the world over have left us some fantastic finds, and that Central America is
the lucky recipient of many such gifts. Were they leaving time capsules for future
generations to find? Or were they just making maps and calendars? Who really knows why
the Piedra Pintada petroglyphs exist? Maybe what fascinates us so is that we can’t possibly
know what the ancient people’s true intention was… we can only look with new eyes as we
discover more and more of what was left behind many hundreds and sometimes thousands
of years ago. And maybe it’s OK not to know, just to speculate. To explore the various
options with the limited understanding we have, knowing that our understanding is limited,
and let the questions hang in the air. From beyond the grave, the ancients know the answers
to the questions we now have… they wrote the preface of our story for us, and we can
physically go there and be with it now.

Was that on purpose, or just a happy accident? Either way, the gift of the Piedra Pintada in
Panama is one of the best time capsules ever.
What to do
Places of interest and things to do in El Valle:
(For the locations mentioned below please look at the map)

Artisan & Vegetable Market | Bird Watching | Butterfly Haven (El

Mariposario) | Canopying | Chorro El Macho Waterfall | Chorro Las Mosas
Waterfalls| Hiking, Biking & Horse Back Riding | Library | Museum El Valle | Orchids
Center | Petroglyphs: La Piedra Pintada | Hot Springs | Serpentario | Square Trees | Zoo

Artisan & Vegetable Market

Here you can buy fruits, ornamental plants, flowers and orchids and have a look at local art
and handicrafts. Including: ceramics, bateas (wooden trays), woven baskets, hats, carved
and painted totumas (cups made from squash) and trinkets made from acorn. Also, some
Kuna Indians offer their handicraft like colorful molas and jewlery. (A few pictures can be
found here).

Bird Watching
El Valle is one of the best places in Panama for watching tropical birds. You will find them
in the valley and in the cloud forest of the Gaital Monument. Through August 2010, 339
species of birds had been registered in El Valle and the surrounding area by El Valle
resident biologist Mario L. Urriola Hernandez.

Butterfly Haven (El Mariposario)

#1 Attraction in El Valle (Tripadvisor)
Hours:
Everyday from 9 am to 4:00 pm, closed on Tuesday, final entrance is 3:30 pm.
Entrance fees: $5.00
$1.50 Children under 13
www.butterflyhavenpanama.com

Canopying
The Canopy Tour and the “Chorro El Macho” waterfall share the same entrance. Here,
from platforms 100 feet in the air, you are given a spectacular insight and view of the cloud
forrest´s fauna and flora.
On this tour you soar above the waterfall twice. The tour lasts aprox. one and a half hours
and costs around 53 US$ per person. More information can be found here.

Chorro El Macho Waterfall

This waterfall is the largest in the región with a drop of 70m.
It is just a 30 minutes walk from the towncenter in the direction of La Mesa.
take a bath in the natural pool.
Open every day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Entrance fee: $5,00
$5,00 extra if you like to swim in the nearby pool

Chorro Las Mosas Waterfalls, along Rio Anton

To reach these rapids it is a1/2 hour walk. From here follow the right side of the river for 30
minutes to reach a natural swimming pool. Here the local youth venture very dangerous
jumps into the pond. In the Green Season you hardly can see the path to the pool. It is more
or less a climbing at the slippy rockface to reach it. There is danger to slip, fall on the rocks
hidden under the water or end up in one of the caves below.
Adults $1,00, retires $0,75, children $0,50

Hiking, Biking & Horse Back Riding

Hiking
A path behind the Hotel Campestre will lead you to the Cloud Forest Reserve of the Cerro
Gaital Natural Monument. Here the cloud forrest offers its unique flora and fauna.
Serious walkers and birdwatchers will be pleased.
To scale the peak of Cerro Gaital there is another entrance after the village of La Mesa
(which is also a great place for bird watching). The village can be reached by car or local
buses.
There are two tours from La Mesa: For the large one to the top you should ask the locals for
advice, start early in the morning and bring some climbing experiences with you. Up and
down it will take about 5-6 hours. The best is to go with one of the local tour guides. You
will find them at the IPAT booth at the market. See photos here
The Sleeping Indian or La India Dormida is a hill chain with the silhouette of a sleeping
Indian woman in the west of El Valle. The name has it´s origin in a local legend. You can
walk by yourself and in about 1 1/2 hours you have reached the top and can enjoy a great
view over the valley.
Another interesting tour is to Rio Indio, one hour away from El Valle (by car) in the cloud
forrest. You can reach the place with the public pickups that leave in the center of the town
a few times a day.

Biking
The valley offers excellent roads with great scenic views and little traffic. Bikes can be
rented in many hotels.
Horse Back Riding
Another way to discover the valley is by horse. The spot were you can rent them is near the
Hotel Campestre. A guide can be engaged on request.

Museum El Valle (next to Catholic Church)

Here you find a well sorted collection of:
Pre-Columbian Art / Religious Art / Etnografics of the XIX. and XX. century / Craftworks /
Paintings and geological informations.

Thursday – Saturday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Sunday 10:00 – 2:00 pm

Entrance:
Adults: $1.50
Retirees: $0.75
Children: $0.50 – $0.75
Students: $0.50 – $1:00
Information: 6592 5577 / 6415 7019

Orchids Center (Aprovaca Orquídeas)

The nonprofit organisation APROVACA (Asociación de Productores de Orquídeas El
Valle y Cabuya) deicates itself to the task of cultivating and conserving endangered local
and regional orchids. At the moment 147 different kinds of orchids can be seen.
Open every day from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Tel. 983-6472.
Entrance fees up to 4 persons: Adults $ 2,00, students $ 1.00, minors up to 15 $ 0,75.
Entrance fees 5 persons and more: Adults $ 1,50, students $ 0.75, minors up to 15 $ 0,50.

Petroglyphs: La Piedra Pintada

This pre-Columbian pertroglyph (more a rock face) couldn´t be decoded yet. Some locals
say it has been a map for traders, other say it is a map of caves connecting the mountain
range.
Entry: $3.00
See photos here.

Pozos termales (Hot Springs)

Open every day from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Last entrance 4:30
Entrance fees:
Adults $3,00, children 6 to 12 years $1,00
Cel. 6621 3846

Serpentario (Snake House)

Informations and fotos can be found here.

Square Trees
Scientific Name: Quararibea asterolepis
Family: Bombacaceae
Tall: 30 meter approximate

“They are members of the cottonwood family. Saplings of these trees now are being grown
at the University of Florida to find out if they retain their squareness in a different
environment. It is believed, however, that the shape is probably due to some unknown but
purely local condition. That the cause is deepseated is indicated by the fact that the tree
rings, each representing a year’s growth, also are square.”

THOMAS R. HENRY’S, Where Trees Are Square

This square trees can be found outside of the Hotel Campestre.

See photos here

Zoo El Nispero
El Nispero is also home to the Centro de Conservación de Anfibios de El Valle (EVACC),
an amphibian study center sponsored by the Houston, San Antonio, and San Diego zoos.
The center will study the bacteria that is wiping out the golden frog, among other
amphibians, and work to ensure the amphibians’ survival.

Open every day from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Entrance fees:
Foreigners: adults $5,00, children $2,00
Locals: adults $2,00, children $1,00
Directions
If you are coming to El Valle by car take the Interamerican Highway heading west out of
Panama City. A few kilometers past the town of San Carlos you will find the turn off for El
Valle on the right, at the village of Las Uvas. The turn off is approximately 90 kilometers
from Panama City and El Valle is 28 kilometers further.

You can also get to El Valle by bus. The bus station (Gran Terminal de Transporte) is
located next to the Albrook Mall. The fare is $4.25 and buses leave about every 30 minutes
from Platform 48 from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm. The last bus returning to Panama City from El
Valle leaves around 3:30 pm but the last buses to the Interamericana are leaving between
7:00-8:00 pm.

The only direct bus service from El Valle to the western part of Panama are infrequent
buses going to Penonomé. If you want to go to Boquete or Bocas del Toro you can also
board a bus in El Valle going to San Carlos or Panama City and simply step off at the
Interamerican Highway at Las Uvas and wave down a bus heading west. They all have their
final destinations in the front window and make stops at most towns along the way.

In El Valle itself there are local buses that can take you to villages in the area like La Mesa,
Rio Indio or Mata Ahogado. There is also a taxi service that is quite inexpensive.
HIKING LA INDIA DORMIDA FOR
SUNRISE IN ANTON VALLEY,
PANAMA
La India Dormida hike is one of the most popular sunrise viewpoints in all of Anton Valley.
The hike only takes about 45 minutes to summit from the town, making it a perfect way to
start your morning. The loop trail takes you along the edge of the beautiful mountains of
the crater, which resemble the body of a sleeping person. This is where the hike gets its
name and we will delve into the Legend of the Sleeping Indian in this blog post as well as
everything you need to know about hiking La India Dormida to enjoy an epic sunrise.

HOW TO GET TO LA INDIA DORMIDA HIKE

La India Dormida hike is a loop trail although I guess you can do an out and back to the top
of you prefer. That means there are two entrances. However, as you hike up in the dark, it
really doesn’t matter how each route looks as you won’t see anything. Therefore it might be
best to take the easiest route to the summit. By starting the route at Piedra Pintada, which is
on Google Maps below when you zoom in, you hike quickly up to the best viewpoint. This
is the head of the Indian.

The beauty of starting at this point is that you get to the summit early and first and then
once you wait for the sun to rise while at this viewpoint the trail will slowly be illuminated.
Now you can enjoy the whole trail along the edge of the crater in sunlight to take full
advantage of the epic views.

To reach Piedra Pintada, which is the trailhead entrance, from the town takes about 10-15
minutes from the central point. There is a little archway and depending on whether
someone is manning the station or not you may have to pay an entrance fee of $3. We
didn’t and I haven’t paid an entrance fee yet in Anton Valley, although it is low season

LA INDIA DORMIDA HIKE

At 4:30 am, we grabbed a coffee and made our way out of Bodhi Hostel in a group of five.
It took us about fifteen minutes to reach the Piedra Pintada trailhead. Leaving behind the
streetlights and steady ground, we flicked on our torches and phone lights as we began the
trek up to the summit.

This early part of the trail is actually quite beautiful. There are lots of little waterfalls,
wooden bridges, and river crossings. You won’t see any of them in the dark. What you will
get is incredibly sweaty as the humidity under the canopy and the intense incline will have
you sweating bullets.
It took us the best part of 45-minutes or so at a steady pace to reach the top or the head of
the Indian, which is the key viewpoint. Make sure to check the night before for the official
sunrise time. I would then leave yourself a minimum of 1 hour from when you leave your
accommodation but if you want to guarantee you witness the sunrise for all your effort 1.5
hours is perfect.

We arrived at the summit at the end of the blue hour, which is the hour before the sun rises
when the sky is a rich blue. The summit was windy but not cold. One big tip is to take a
spare t-shirt for the top or as I did, keep a jacket in your bag and then remove the shirt and
replace with the jacket. This allowed me to take off my wet shirt that was dripping in sweat
and getting cold in the wind. Minor creature comforts but not hard to plan that ahead!

Unfortunately for us, the clouds seemed to want to ruin the show although above the clouds the
sky was clear. We hung out at the top of the mountain, which was slowly coming to light. Slowly
the sun managed to break its way above the top of the clouds and then she burst through. In what
is the rainy season, we were counting our blessings to have a dry, clear morning and now the sun
was coming through with beautiful light for us!

Now that the mountains were fully lit, we continued our journey along the cliff-edge path. The
views of the crater were amazing and we couldn’t believe how good the weather was or our hike.
The glass glowed in the sunshine and we found a few great vantage points to take in the Anton
Valley Crater.

Slowly the path leads you down and down until you emerge back into the streets of Anton
Valley and it once again only takes 15-20 minutes to return from the exit of the trail. You
could do it in reverse, but as I mentioned you would be along the cliffs in the dark although
you would enjoy the waterfalls in daylight. My suggestion is to do it in the order I did and
if you are so interested in the Piedra Pintada waterfalls to revisit them during the day from
the Piedra Pintada entrance, which will take you just 10 minutes.

THE LEGEND OF THE SLEEPING INDIAN

Legend has it that Luba, known as ‘Airflower’, was the youngest daughter of heralded
Chief Urraca. Urraca was the leader of one of the many Guaymi Tribes in Anton Crater.

Luba was a rebellious girl and despite her tribes fighting with the Spanish for years she fell
in love with a Spanish official who lived in the town. Yaravi was a brave warrior from the
tribe who loved Luba but she didn’t love him back. Yaravi couldn’t handle this and took his
own life, throwing himself off of a mountain while Luba stared in a perplexed fashion.

Luba didn’t want to betray her town and in a desperate panic of crying and mourning she
loses herself in the bushes and dies.

This is the legend of the Sleeping Indian.

The Legend of the Sleeping Indian

 Flor del Aire was the daughter of Urraca, the most successful Chief in
Panama fighting against the Conquistadores. It was her misfortune to fall
in love with one of the Spanish soldiers. Yavari, one of the strongest
fighters of her tribe, vied for her affection. When she did not return his
love, in despair, he jumped to his death from a mountain top before the
Princess' eyes. In sorrow Princess Flor del Aire left her home and never
saw the Spaniard again.
She crossed mountains and valleys bitterly weeping over her fate. Above
the beaches of the Caribbean she fell dead looking back at the beloved
mountains where she had been born. The mountains were so touched by
this sad love story they decided to form the shape of the Princess, and
that is how the India Dormida arose.
ANTON VALLEY, PANAMA

Known for its square trees, golden frogs, and Sunday morning market, El Valle is located
within the crater of the second largest inhabited dormant volcano in the world. It is a
popular destination for city people and tourists due to its proximity to the city of Panama.
The cooler climate is a pleasant change from the heat and humidity of the city and on warm
days, there are always refreshing breezes that rush down the slopes of the surrounding hills.

The crater stands at about 600m above sea level while all around are mountains for the
hiker to explore. To the north are Cerro Pajita, Cerro Gaital, and Cerro Cara Coral which
are about 1000m high. The others are about 800m and include Cerro Iguana and Cerro
Guacamayo to the south, Cerro Tagua to the east and La India Dormida to the west. They
have all been cleared for agriculture and pastureland except Cerro Gaital and Cerro Pajita
which remain natural forests over which clouds linger. There are trails on each one that lead
to scenic vistas of the crater floor.
It is at the foothills of Cerro Gaital behind the Hotel Campestre that square trees are found.
There is a path leading to a small patch of trees and in front of the hotel, golden frogs may
be viewed in captivity. See them while you can for you are not likely to find golden frogs in
the wild even though they are endemic to the area.

The most popular mountain is known as the Sleeping Indian Girl. From certain viewpoints,
the outline of the mountain resembles a girl lying on
her back gazing at the skies. According to legend, an
Indian princess wandered the mountains and died in
disgrace after her lover committed suicide. The
realism of the outline is enhanced by the fact that the
‘face’ and ‘neck’ have been cleared for grazing while
her ‘hair’ remains forested and it is in this area that the
best route to the top is found. An unpaved road ends at
La Pintada. There is a church and a small kiosco
where children hang out offering to guide you up the Stone Petroglyph
mountain. Along the way, they will show you stone
petroglyphs that remain undeciphered, their favorite
swimming holes beneath cascading waterfalls, the Piedra El Sapo, a rock with carvings of
toads, and strategic points for viewing the valley below. It is a very pleasant ¾ to 1 hr. hike
that partially follows a trail along a small, melodious river under the shade of the forest
canopy. Wild orchids and unusual flowers can be found but you have to look for them as
they are small and overwhelmed by the forest greenery.

El Chorro Macho is a lovely 35m waterfall from the Quebrada Amarilla River. It is located
within the boundaries of an ecological refuge with walking trails that take you to the top of
the falls. Endemic trees are labeled and if you are lucky, you may see the stunning blue
morpho butterflies. This is an exquisite spot within a compact area. Additionally, you have
the option of viewing the forest from a very different perspective. A system of platforms,
pulleys and cables enables you to zoom across El Macho through the treetops high above
the forest floor. The Canopy Tour is specifically designed to allow visitors to observe the
different layers of a tropical rainforest.

The Anton Valley sits just off center in the roughly circular
Cocle Mountains. Consequently, there are numerous hills to
explore in any direction from El Valle. To the east, there is a 2
day hike to Altos de Campana National Park. In the same
direction, a half day hike to will take you to La Laguna where
you can swim and climb the nearby El Picacho. Only the
northern part of the Cocle Mountains remains relatively
unpopulated and therefore, not as extensively deforested. In
Panama, there is a policy whereby one can claim land if one
"maintains" it for a period of ten years. Clearing the land is
proof of having maintained it and the result is rampant
deforestation even though it is not being used. Directly to the
north of El Valle is Chiguiri Arriba, a five hour hike away. It is
an area rich in history because the nearby Cerro La Vieja was
El Chorro Macho
the hiding place of the romantic guerrilla-hero of the campesinos, Victoriano Lorenzo. He
fought for the poor at the turn of the century, long before it became fashionable, in the
tumultuous days of pre-independent Panama. It is a lush, tranquil area where frogs sing you
to sleep and songbirds awaken you. Every hill has its own stream with cool, refreshing
pools and idyllic waterfalls. This is truly an area to commune with nature in a tropical
rainforest wonderland.