Most Popular PlacesRandom PlaceListsItinerariesAdd a PlaceDownload the App Kejimkujik Petroglyphs Tà Má Stream Gods House Tower The Living Museum Home to more than 500 Mi’kmaq petroglyphs depicting centuries of Indigenous life and culture, this sacred site contains one of the largest collections of rock carvings in eastern North America. Petroglyph site at Kejimkujik Lake ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a male figure with a heart with a small cross attached to it. ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a ship with cannons ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a caribou ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a canoe ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Mi’kmaw Cultural Landscape Monument ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph site at Kejimkujik Lake ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a male figure with a heart with a small cross attached to it. ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a ship with cannons ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a caribou ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a canoe ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Mi’kmaw Cultural Landscape Monument ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph site at Kejimkujik Lake ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a male figure with a heart with a small cross attached to it. ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a ship with cannons ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a caribou ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a canoe ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Mi’kmaw Cultural Landscape Monument ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph site at Kejimkujik Lake ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph site at Kejimkujik Lake ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a male figure with a heart with a small cross attached to it. ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a ship with cannons ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a caribou ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Petroglyph depicting a canoe ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Mi’kmaw Cultural Landscape Monument ethantapit / Atlas Obscura User Along the shores of Kejimkujik Lake in Nova Scotia, more than 500 petroglyphs are etched into the smooth slate bedrock of Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site. The Mi’kmaq have lived, hunted, and fished in the Kejimkujik area since time immemorial.
Their enduring presence is documented through oral histories and numerous archaeological sites, including ancient campsites, fish weirs, and burial grounds. These remarkable stone carvings serve as a visual record of Mi’kmaq history, offering a glimpse into life before and after European contact. While some petroglyphs are estimated to be 800–1,000 years old, many depict Mi’kmaq life between the 17th and 19th centuries.
The carvings illustrate various aspects of Mi’kmaq culture and daily life, including traditional clothing, canoes, animals, and hunting scenes. Particularly notable are depictions of the distinctive peaked hats worn by Mi’kmaw women, ocean-going canoes, and rare examples of artists' signatures written in Mi’kmaw script. Other carvings document encounters with Europeans, depicting sailing ships, firearms, and European figures.
Together, these images preserve centuries of Mi’kmaq history, culture, and encounters with a changing world. Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter. Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
The petroglyphs are located within a restricted area of Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site to protect these culturally and historically significant carvings. Visitors can only access the site through a guided tour offered by Parks Canada. Guided tours are generally available from June through October and require advance registration.
Tours last approximately 60–90 minutes and begin at the Mi’kmaw Cultural Landscape Monument at Merrymakedge (P1). The tour includes a short walk through the forest to the lakeshore. The petroglyphs are sacred to the Mi’kmaq and should be treated with respect and care.
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