A sacred prayer place for Native Americans, the Jeffers Petroglyphs houses thousands of petroglyphs dating back centuries. Some of these ancient markings of animals, tools and shapes are more than 7,000 years old. Our trip to see this piece of local history taught us about the lives of the first peoples to call the prairies of southern Minnesota home.
The rock at Jeffers is quartzite which is hard, so the carvings are not deep. The lack of depth can make them difficult to see. The Minnesota Historical Society provides excellent guides along the petroglyph path who point out the carvings and provide possible interpretation. They often use water to help visitors see the carvings. Interpretative signs also help guests spot the carvings. The boys’ favorite carving to look for was the atlatl, an early weapon that allowed hunters to throw a spear with more force and accuracy.
Walk Among the Petroglyphs
After 5 o’clock the petroglyphs are open for visitors to walk on. We happily hung out just long enough to make a stocking footed walk around the 5,000 carvings at the site. Getting up close to the carvings allowed us to explore and find figures that weren’t visible from the perimeter. I especially liked placing my palm inside one of the many handprints found at the petroglyphs.
Staying later at the site meant the carvings were more visible in the late daylight. Cloudy days are also a bit better for seeing the petroglyphs. We were really excited when we found this thunderbird as well as a carving of a deer. The deer was also near a spear so our interpretation is the carving was a prayer for a prosperous hunt.
We had a great time at the Jeffers Petroglyphs and learned so much about our state’s diverse history. The experience was one of a few Minnesota adventures we had this summer including visits to Paul Bunyan Land, the Wabasha Street Caves and Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store.
Minnesota 6th graders get free admission to Jeffers Petroglyphs. Our family has used the 6th Grade Minnesota History Pass to see the Minnesota History Center, the State Capitol, Mill City Museum, Historic Fort Snelling and many more.
Happy Adventuring, Rochelle