Location: The Sanilac Petroglyphs historic site is located near Bad Axe. Take M-53 to Bay City-Forestville Road and proceed east to Germania Road. Head south one-half mile on Germania; the site is on the west side of the road.
Rock carvings, known as petroglyphs, etched into a sandstone outcrop are a mystery. Yet they give us a glimpse into the lives of the early Native American artists . . . Mythical water panthers, deer and a Native American archer still roam the banks of the north branch of the Cass River, near Cass City. Etched into a sandstone outcrop by unknown prehistoric artists, these rock carvings—known as petroglyphs—were first discovered after massive forest fires swept the Lower Peninsula in 1881. Native Americans created this unusual artwork 300 to 1,000 years ago. The petroglyphs provide a glimpse into the lives of an ancient woodland people who once occupied Michigan's Thumb area.