Safe Harbor Petroglyph Tours
Tour season is from mid-to-late May through late October.
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As this is a guide service, you choose the tour date you'd like! (subject to availability, of course!)
Email paulnevin@aol.com
Please include: Type of Tour (Boat, Canoe/Kayak, or Group), Date, Time, and Number of Participants) I will reply with availability, payment, and logistics information.
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Join Paul Nevin for an unforgettable experience as he guides you through the spectacular 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, located on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, PA, are part of what is likely the largest concentration of ancient American Indian rock art sites in the eastern United States. Unfortunately, most of the sites are now hidden under water impounded by hydroelectric power plants. Even with the loss of those sites, the petroglyphs at Safe Harbor still constitute the most outstanding example of Native American rock art in the northeast United States that is 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. Among hundreds of bedrock exposures, seven can be found that contain, in total, more than 400 petroglyphs – if you know where to look.
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.
Six rock art sites can be visited along a half-mile stretch of the Susquehanna River. Most spectacular are Little Indian Rock, with more than 150 petroglyphs carved into its surface, and Big Indian Rock, with dozens of petroglyphs in an amazing setting.
Six rock art sites can be visited along a half-mile stretch of the Susquehanna River. Most spectacular are Little Indian Rock, with more than 150 petroglyphs carved into its surface, and Big Indian Rock, with dozens of petroglyphs in an amazing setting.
Tour Information
First off, calling this a tour is a little bit misleading. It’s more of an adventure, an expedition, an experience. Safe Harbor is a special place. Rock art sites are sacred to Native peoples. Experiences range from awe inspiring to life-changing.
No need to fit into a tour group schedule! As I offer a personalized guide service, you choose the date and time that suits YOUR schedule!
No need to visit with a large group! Spend more time at the sites, not having to wait for a bunch of kayaks to load and unload passengers. Go at your own pace, see what YOU want to see, without a crowd.
Learn from an authority! No made up stories. Visit with someone who understands the Native Worldview, has experienced the culture, and knows the Susquehanna River's cultural history, geology, and ecology.
My regular "tour season" runs from mid-May through late October, however, tours can be arranged other times of the year if conditions allow. Obviously, weather and river conditions dictate when the rocks can be visited.
Departure points are located about a 1/2 hour drive from the towns of Lancaster, Columbia, and Wrightsville PA, with lodging and numerous attractions nearby.
(The river flows may or may not be acceptable mid-May through mid-June, but temperatures are comfortable. Afternoon thunderstorms can crop up during late June, July, and August. The river is generally most reliable in July, August, and from mid-September on. Viewing in September and October is great because of clearer skies and lower angle of the sunlight, so book early if you're looking for a Saturday or Sunday tour! Some September and October mornings can be foggy. There are techniques that I use on mid-day visits and overcast days for better viewing, so at all times, visiting the Safe Harbor Petroglyphs is an unforgettable experience!
Email to request a tour
(If you're flexible date-wise, you can request a tour for within a block of days, and as the time approaches we can look for the best day within the block.)
Expeditions (Tours)
Boat Expeditions
These personalized tours are tailored specifically to you, with up to four hours allowed for an experience that suits your interests. 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. Boat tours depart from Pequea Boat Launch, Pequea, PA 17565. Cost for this unforgettable experience is $125 per adult, $75 per youth for ages 6-17 (and students).
Personal Kayak or Canoe Expeditions
As with the expeditions by boat, these personalized tours for one to three people are tailored specifically to you, with up to four hours allowed for an experience that suits your interests. These tours depart from Safe Harbor Park, 101 Safe Harbor/Powerhouse Rd., Conestoga, PA 17516. Cost for this unforgettable experience is $125 per adult, $75 per youth for ages 12 to 17 (and students) if you bring your own kayak or canoe. Kayaks can be rented for an additional $25/ea.
Small Group Expeditions
These canoe/kayak expeditions are available for groups of 4 to 8 participants. You can bring your own kayaks and/or canoes, or have kayaks provided at $25/ea. Cost varies. Please call 717.578.1358 or email paulnevin@aol.com to make arrangements.
Large Group Expeditions
These canoe/kayak expeditions are available for groups of 9 to 16 participants. A lead-time of 3 weeks is required to schedule these tours. You can bring your own kayaks and/or canoes, or have kayaks provided at $25/ea. Cost varies. Please call 717.578.1358 or email paulnevin@aol.com to make arrangements.
For people of Native American ancestry who wish to visit these sacred sites, special considerations and accommodations are available. Please email your request.
Note: Cost should not keep you from visiting the Safe Harbor Petroglyphs. If you cannot afford any of the options above, request a tour on an "as available" basis. These tours will be added on to days where multiple expeditions take place. Prices will vary. Please email for more info.
Request a tour date
Email paulnevin@aol.com with your request.
Please include: Type of Tour (Boat, Kayak, or Guide a Group), Date, Time, and Number of Participants)
I will reply with availability, payment, and logistics information.
What to expect
- Here’s how a typical kayak/canoe tour goes:
- The kayak/canoe launch is located at Safe Harbor Park on the Conestoga River, about ¼ mile from where it empties into the Susquehanna River. We take an easy paddle downstream onto the Susquehanna, then continue for another ¼ mile to our first stop, Circle Rock. From there, we paddle another ½ mile downstream to Big Indian Rock, then take an easy paddle ¼ mile back upstream to Little Indian Rock. Depending on time, interests, and water conditions, we continue back towards the Conestoga River for less than ½ mile and either take a short break on the water, or make a quick stop at Conestoga Rock. From there, we take a moderate ¼-mile paddle to the mouth of the Conestoga, and another ¼-mile moderate paddle back to the kayak launch. The entire route is about 2¼ miles. We’re generally out on the river for 3 - 3½ hours.
- However, there are occasionally times when flow from the dam or on the Conestoga is more than participants are up for, so we do an all-downstream route. For this route, we park a “pick-up” vehicle at the Pequea Boat Launch (Pequea Blvd. & River Hill Rd., Pequea, PA 17565), which is about a 15-minute drive from Safe Harbor Park. We reorder the stops accordingly, but instead of paddling 1 mile upstream, we paddle 2 miles downstream, so this route runs about 3¼ miles. The extra driving and paddling adds about an extra hour. (PAFB kayak/canoe registration or launch permits are required at this boat launch.)
- I’ve taken people out who have had little or no kayaking experience. In that case, I provide some basic instruction before we head out onto the river. It’s good if you’re “fit”, but you don’t have to be an athlete.
- Life vests (PFD's) must be worn while paddling. PFD's are included with rental kayaks.
- There are portable restrooms at Safe Harbor Park. There are no restrooms on the river!
- Here’s how a typical boat tour goes:
- Boat tours depart from the riverside dock at Pequea Boat Launch (Pequea Blvd. & River Hill Rd., Pequea, PA 17565). From there, it's a 3-mile (15-minute) boat ride to the petroglyph sites. You can relax and enjoy the scenery! We then visit each of the sites before returning to the boat launch. We’re generally out on the river for 3 - 3½ hours.
- Life vests (PFD's) are available on the boat, but not required to be worn.
- There are portable restrooms at Pequea Boat Launch. There are no restrooms on the river!
Note
- Participants must have the ability to climb onto the rocks. You will be asked to remove shoes when you are near the petroglyphs.
- There is no shade or shelter on the petroglyph rocks. Surfaces can be hot. Bring water and adequate protection from the elements.
- Tours may be cancelled due to weather and/or river conditions. In the event of cancellations, tours can be rescheduled or full refunds issued.
Email, call, or text to schedule a tour or request more information
paulnevin@aol.com 717.578.1358