Jeffers Petroglyphs

Traveling to western Minnesota and near the town of Comfrey, one comes to a rather unusual display of rock carvings (over 2000) in the amid of the prairie. Better known as petroglyphs, this large display of mostly animals (birds, buffalo, deer, elk, snakes and turtles) tell a story of human existence long ago. The drawings date back to over 7000 years ago and were left by Native Americans. The carvings were discovered by European settlers in the 1870s and in 1966 the Minnesota Historical Society purchased the 160 acres from W.H. Jeffers to preserve the petroglyphs for future generations.

The best time to view and take photographs of the carvings are just after sunrise or before before sunset because the sunlight highlights the edges and casts shadows. You will be walking on bedrock that slopes at roughly 6 degrees, so wear appropriate shoes. It takes some patience to view and adjust your eyes to all the lines and color on the bedrock, but if you come when there are scheduled events happening at the interpretative center, guides may help with locating some of the images.

The rock carvings are said to be the oldest and largest surviving concentration of native American rock art in the Upper Midwest. They date back to the Archaic period (3000 BC to 500 BC) and came to life with simple tools by using a hammerstone and a stone punch. The Archaic period was a time when food and tools changed from the previous Paleo-indian mammoth and giant bison hunter lifestyle. Copper tools and ground pecked stone tools were being crafted in addition to the previous chipped stone tools.

Getting There:

Jeffers Petroglyphs is located on County Road 2, just north of Highway 30. From Mankato, take Highway 60 to Highway 30. From New Ulm, take Highway 14 to 71 south.