Piney Creek Ravine State Natural Area

Piney Creek Ravine State Natural Area is a protected 198-acre ravine landscape in southern Illinois that extends across Jackson and Randolph counties. Preserved within the state natural area system, it is significant not only as a natural setting but also for a cliff face bearing Native American petroglyphs. That same rock surface also carries later modern graffiti, underscoring both the site’s long human presence and its vulnerability. In 2001, the cliff was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of the archaeological importance of the carvings and the need to protect the site.

Illinois · United States