I have organized this story a bit differently than most.
Some of the locations have little or no reporting on the internet and I feel they should remain that way or someone I respect has personally requested that I not share them; as such, locations have been redacted and/or not mentioned, I've used non-official names for local landmarks, and the order of the trip has been randomized.
Please, if you know the locations shown here, I encourage you to enjoy them as much as I did - and follow my lead by not mentioning their names or locations in order to keep them a little less well-known, and special.
For more on my approach, you can read Do you have a GPX for that?.
While on our last trip to British Columbia, we happened to stumble upon a few petroglyphs, created by the First Nations, hundreds or thousands of years ago. They were so different than those that we've seen in the lower 48, and reminded me a bit of the style that found in Hawaii. Upon returning home though, I think it may have been the surfaces - ground-level rocks with petroglyphs on various faces - more than the actual figures, that seemed similar.
We arrived at the stie on our way from one place to another. Getting there meant an enjoyable, short hike through the woods, on a boardwalk that is obviously being maintained and improved by the locals.
The petroglyphs themselves are clearly still a special place for those who live nearby. Etched into the rock surfaces a hundred feet above a rushing river, small tributaries make this place feel like a lush garden. A place to wander circuitous paths. A place to reflect on the people who treasured this place before us.
The art here seemed to focus on faces. Large eyes, pronounced mouths, and heads of all shapes and sizes. Bodies adorned only a few. Like the rock art we've found elsewhere, these glyphs took advantage of the natural form of the rocks into which they were carved, bringing the ground to life around us.
And, while we were careful to not touch any of the petroglyphs, it was neat to see that the moss - which could easily overgrow the entire display - continues to be held at bay by descendants of those who created these works. Tracing the outlines, feeling the earth around the art. Remembering their ancestors.
Here was some of the rock art we found.
When visiting rock art and ruin sites, be respectful.
This is most easily done by following the Leave No Trace principles; leaving the place exactly as you found it and taking with you only photographs and memories. In case that is not clear enough for some reason, here are examples of respectful behaviors:
The Whole Story
