Pilot Rock Lookout
Why is this large boulder named Pilot Rock?
One of the largest glacial erratics in Iowa sits atop a hill near Cherokee. Pilot Rock has long served as an important landmark for people nearby.
Transcript
[Abby Brown] Way up on that ridge, there's a huge boulder that was left behind when a glacier moved through this area a very long time ago. It's called Pilot Rock and it’s located on private land. But today we have special permission to head up there and get a close up look at this historic landmark.
(Map marking Cherokee County in northwest Iowa.)
This public area is called Pilot Rock Lookout. It's in Cherokee. The marker here gives visitors an idea of why that gigantic rock at the top of the hill is so important.
(A picnic pavilion sits next to the Pilot Rock Lookout sign.)
Before maps and modern day technology like GPS, Pilot Rock helped Native Americans and early European settlers find their way.
It was a landmark in the middle of a sea of prairie.
Even from way down here you can spot it. But wait till you see how amazing Pilot Rock is up close.
Pilot Rock is 20 feet high, 40 feet wide, and over 60 feet long.
It's made out of Sioux Quartzite and is believed to be one of the largest glacial erratic rocks in Iowa.
So to give you some perspective on the size of this thing, I'm about 5.5 feet tall. And this is Pilot Rock. Did you have any idea it was this big from the view down below?
Because it's located on private land, people can't just hike up here to see or touch Pilot Rock. So, with special permission from the owner, we're excited to show you some of the texture of this historic boulder.
Petroglyphs, or ancient rock carvings, used to tell stories or record information, have been found on the surface.
Because of erosion and other reasons, you can't really see them anymore.
Petroglyph boulders, such as Pilot Rock, were sacred to native people who lived in this region before the arrival of Europeans.
So not only was this boulder a pilot for travelers, it was also a very special place for people who lived here way before the United States was even a country.
Just imagine all the things this ancient rock has seen since it was dropped off here by a glacier over 20,000 years ago.
Every county in Iowa has landmarks that help define its history. We're thankful for this rare close-up look at Pilot Rock in Cherokee County.
Funding for FIND Iowa has been provided by The Coons Foundation, Pella and the Gilchrist Foundation.