Track Rock facts for kids
Track Rock is a special place in the Chattahoochee National Forest in Georgia. It's known as the Track Rock Gap Archaeological Area (9Un367). This area covers about 52 acres (21 hectares). It holds amazing ancient rock carvings, called petroglyphs, made by Native Americans long ago. These carvings look like animal and bird tracks, crosses, circles, and even human footprints.
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What is Track Rock?
Track Rock is home to large soapstone boulders covered with hundreds of carved symbols. These carvings are called petroglyphs. They are like ancient drawings etched into stone. Archaeologists believe these carvings could be very old, possibly from the Archaic Period (8000 to 1000 BC). Some carvings might also have been made by the Cherokee people who lived in this area until the 1800s.
What Do the Carvings Mean?
No one knows the exact meaning of all the symbols at Track Rock. They show animals, birds, tracks, and different shapes. These carvings are a mystery from the past! The first written mention of Track Rock was in 1834 by Dr. Matthew Stephenson. He was in charge of the U.S. Branch Mint in Dahlonega.
Cherokee Stories About Track Rock
The Cherokee people have their own stories about this special place. They called it Datsu'nalasgun'ylu, which means "where there are tracks." They also called it Degayelun'ha, meaning "the printed or branded place." One popular story, shared by ethnographer James Mooney, says that hunters would carve the symbols while resting in the gap. Other stories suggest the marks were made during a huge hunt when animals were driven through the gap. Another tale says the tracks appeared when animals left a great canoe after a flood almost destroyed the world, back when the earth and rocks were still soft.
Exploring Track Rock
In 1867, a famous conservationist named John Muir visited nearby. He met a local who described Track Rock Gap. The local said it had "bird tracks, bar tracks, hoss tracks, men tracks, all in the solid rock as if it had been mud." Today, you can visit Track Rock. There's a gravel parking lot, and you can also reach the site by hiking the Arkaquah Trail. The Track Rock Gap Archaeological Area was considered for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.
Protecting the Ancient Carvings
Sadly, in 2020, some of the petroglyphs on the boulders were damaged. Because of this, the Forest Service had to limit access to the site to help protect these important historical carvings for future generations.
