Petroglyph Beach in Wrangell has the highest concentration of petroglyphs in the southeast region of Alaska . The beach is a little over a mile out of town, and became a State Historic Park in 2000. At least 40 petroglyphs have been found in the area. The site itself is about 8000 years old. There is an accessible boardwalk to a deck overlooking Petroglyph Beach, the Stikine River and Zimovia Straits. Replicas of several designs are displayed on the deck for visitors to make rubbings on. Access to the beach is provided directly from the deck overlook.


Petroglyph State Historic Site

Rock carvings, known as petroglyphs, etched into a sandstone outcrop are a mystery. Yet they give us a glimpse into the lives of early Native American artists.
The Sanilac Petroglyphs are Michigan's largest known group of ancient rock carvings. The park covers 240 acres along the Cass River near Cass City in Michigan's Thumb region and is also home to a one-mile hiking trail that crosses the Little Cass River in two places.

Stone tools and pottery found on the petroglyphs site show tribal groups have occupied the area periodically throughout the last 8,000 years. The petroglyphs were likely carved within the last 1,400 years, with some possibly created in more recent centuries.

In December 2019, the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe and the DNR signed a ground-breaking Memorandum of Understanding to establish the beginning of the tribe's co-management of the Sanilac Petroglyphs Historic State Park. This will mark the first state/tribal co-¬management of a state park in Michigan.

Guided tours of ezhibiigadek asin (Sanilac petroglyphs) are available in the summer months. Historical interpretation is provided by the Michigan History Center. View season dates and hours.



State Parks Tagged With: Cass City