Note: If you have a 4-wheel drive, you can drive within a stone's throw of the site. If you are in a lower-clearance vehicle, it is about a 1.2 mile roundtrip hike up the dirt road.

A cupped hand… a skull… parallel lines and circles…
Over twenty carved symbols decorate the cliff face here. The mysterious “Chalk Creek Hieroglyphs” have been a source of fascination ever since their discovery.

Discovery
Fillmore prospector Clifford Purcell was not looking for mystery when he and Rube Melville hiked up Chalk Creek Canyon in 1939. Searching for evidence of copper, silver, and iron ore, Purcell climbed down to check a ledge and spotted something strange.
“…there was four rows kinda like picture writing… full of lichen, full of green stuff… the sun was shining on it like a spot light.”

The Gold Tablets
Purcell’s discovery eventually caught the attention of many people, including Mexican archaeological guide José Davila. He believed that the symbols told of two sacred golden tablets that ancient refugees had buried in a chamber nearby. From 1965–1969, Davila and others excavated over 600 feet of tunnels near the hieroglyphs, searching for the chamber.

Tragedy Strikes
The numerous excavation attempts were marked by tragedy. In November of 1966, after attempts to blast through a layer of rock, locals Duane White and Kent Neely descended into the ground in search of the gold tablets. They were overcome by toxic gases, lost consciousness, and died. In 1967, claim owner Harold Huntsman met the same fate.

Signature Rock
The Signature Rock, once located to your right, fell during excavation activities and was salvaged by local artisan and rockhound Del Allgood who had a long-time interest in the hieroglyphs. It contains two symbols and is currently located for viewing at the Fillmore Ranger District office.

Theories of Their Origin

Aztec Refugees
Based on similarities between many of the symbols and Central American writings, some have theorized that the hieroglyphs were created in the early 1500s by Aztec refugees fleeing north with a great treasure, after the conquistador Hernando Cortés imprisoned Aztec emperor Montezuma.

Spanish Trails
Located near 18th century Spanish trails, the carvings may have been created by Spanish explorers, or by early American miners following the footsteps of Spanish explorers.

Mayan Waypoint
Because some of the symbols closely resemble Mayan hieroglyphs, some researchers theorize the Chalk Creek symbols could indicate a waypoint or gathering place along a trade route between Asiatic, Mayan, and Near Eastern people.

Asian Connection
In 1965, local hieroglyph enthusiast Del Allgood discovered a note written on a piece of wood and tucked into a hole under the glyphs. It is written in Pahawh Hmong, a “lost” written language that the Hmong say was supernaturally restored to them in the 1950s. They claimed the message referred to a golden treasure buried nearby.

Nephite Clues
The translation by José Davila in 1965 was based on his earlier work with symbols from a tomb in Mexico. Davila became convinced that the Chalk Creek symbols were carved by ancient refugees called Nephites (descendants of the prophet Nephi, in the Latter-day Saint tradition) fleeing northward from a great battle. Davila believed the writings, in conjunction with a nearby “map stone,” provide directions to a sacred treasure.

The Mystery Remains
The carvings are similar to sets found in California, Idaho, Nevada, and other Utah sites. Symbols within this “family” of glyphs overlap; the signs, the sizes, and position of the inscriptions are similar.