Continued erosion by wind and rain have shaped the gap into the pass seen today. Several centuries ago Native Americans traveling through the area stopped and pecked designs onto the smooth faces of large boulders found on the east side of the gap. Over the years many of the boulders have been covered with these chiseled figures known as petroglyphs. The petroglyphs here are thought to be the work of several cultural groups and represent a long period of use by Native cultures. What these designs mean is still unknown.
Archaeologists debate that they represent concepts, ideas or actual happenings.
Perhaps they were part of a religious activity or hunting ritual. The local Native Americans consider them to be an important part of their cultural history relating stories of their ancestor's lifeways. New dating techniques are being developed that will allow petroglyphs to be placed in time. While we don't know the precise age of these petroglyphs yet, we do know that the agriculturally based Sevier-Fremont lived in the area over a thousand years ago. There is little doubt that some of the designs were made by this group, or perhaps even the earlier nomadic Archaic peoples.