Safe Harbor Petroglyph Tours
Join Paul Nevin for an unforgettable experience as he guides you through the amazing Safe Harbor Petroglyphs!
Paul has been, visiting, experiencing, researching, and educating for more than 40 years and is acknowledged as
the leading authority on the rock art
of the lower Susquehanna River.
About the Safe Harbor Petroglyphs
The Safe Harbor Petroglyphs are the last of what was the largest concentration of ancient American Indian rock art sites east of the Mississippi River. Even though most of the other sites on the lower Susquehanna are now under the water impounded by dams, those remaining at Safe Harbor constitute the most significant rock art sites in the northeast United States that are accessible to the public. However, they are not easily accessible. The petroglyphs are carved on rocks that can only be reached by kayaks, canoes, or small boats.
The act of creating petroglyphs was a sacred practice. Creating them demanded a significant investment of time and energy. And to carve capriciously on the bosom of Mother Earth would be to desecrate her. Petroglyphs are not prehistoric graffiti. They are messages left by the Ancestors to be “read” by those who would come in the future.
Tour Information
First off, calling this a tour is a little misleading. It’s more of an adventure, an expedition, an experience. Safe Harbor is a magical place. And at magical places, things happen. It’s also a spiritual place. Rock art sites are sacred to Native peoples. Experiences range from awe to life-changing.
Boat Expeditions
These personalized tours are tailored specifically to you, with up to four hours allowed for the experience you desire. You are transported from the departure point to the sites via a “classic” 1963 Seacrest motorboat. This small, 13-foot (13’-9” for the superstitious) boat is necessary to safely navigate among the many barely submerged rocks on this part of the Susquehanna River. Consequently, there is a strict 4-passenger maximum and 525-pound total weight limit. Cost for this unforgettable experience is $300.
Kayak or Canoe Expeditions
As with the expeditions by boat, these personalized tours are tailored specifically to you, with up to four hours allowed for the experience you desire. For these expeditions, you must supply your own kayaks or canoes. Up to 9 vessels can participate.* Cost for this unforgettable experience is $100 per adult, $50 for ages 12 to 16. *(Larger groups can be accommodated, but a lead-time of 3 weeks is required to obtain a special permit.)
For people of Native American ancestry who wish to visit these sacred sites, special considerations and accommodations are available.
What to expect
- The petroglyphs at Safe Harbor are unlike those in the American Southwest. There, images are scratched through a thin, dark, desert varnish exposing the lighter stone underneath. Here images are laboriously pecked using a river cobble as a hammer and a hard stone such as quartz as a chisel. The surface itself is extremely hard. These exposed rocks are the survivors of hundreds of thousands of years of erosion of the river’s bedrock by forces of water, tremendous floods, ice flows, and water and ice-born debris – everything from rocks to trees.
- Visiting the petroglyphs requires you to climb onto the rocks.
- There is no shade or shelter on the petroglyph rocks.
- Surfaces can be very hot, and there is no protection from storms.
- Bring water and adequate protection from the elements.
Email paulnevin@aol.com or call 717.578.1358 to schedule a tour or request more information