Located southwest of the junction of Highway 14 and Highway 178, the “roost” consists of a massive piece of granite with many crags, crevices, and caves. It is believed by geologists to be an inselberg, which is an isolated erosional remnant of a much larger granite mass. It received its name when Tiburcio Vasquez, a notorious bandit of the 1870s, used the rock as a hideaway and lookout when robbing stage coaches traveling over Walker Pass. Today, birds of prey such as the red-tailed hawk, prairie falcon, and others can be found nesting here. The area is closed to all entry from February 1st – July 1st, to provide solitude for the nesting raptors.