Side trip to see the Jug Rock in Shoals? Sure!

The Jug Rock in Shoals, IN

Last weekend was my nephew's birthday, so we ventured 2ish hours from our home to my brother's. Between here and there is a famous (well, famous locally?) little rock formation that my son and husband had never seen. It's out of the way, not tourist-y at all, and there's only the smallest one-car length pull-off next to the highway. What is it? The Jug Rock in Shoals, IN.

This unassuming little roadside attraction is pretty much blink and miss it. See these little signs below? That's the signage at the site! And the pull-off? Just one car length - and it's right next to the entrance to a road off the highway. It's literally a hidden gem haha!

The Jug Rock in Shoals, INThe Jug Rock in Shoals, IN

My husband is not from around here. He's from much further north. So he wasn't blessed to grow up in Jug Rock Country (that's really not a thing, but it should be). The Jug Rock is located in Shoals, IN, and the local high school has taken the landmark as their mascot. No joke. They are the Shoals Jug Rocks.

The Jug Rock in Shoals, IN

And here it is! It is much thinner than I remember as a child. I assume time and weather have eroded the "base" and it changes a bit each year. You can't get too close, as there's a drop-off right off the trail that leads to the edge of the gravel. This was the conversation that happened when I stepped out of my Jeep to snap some pictures. Keep in mind, they all stayed in the Jeep and didn't pay a bit of attention.

Me: Hey, Jim, Lucas, check it out, there it is.
Jim and Lucas: *grunt* Wow, yeah. (and this point I feel their eye roll)
Mom: Don't get too close to the edge and fall over.
Me: I won't, sheesh.
Mom: I can't climb down to get you.
Jim: Don't worry, I can drive us home."

My family, ladies and gentlemen. Aren't they hilarious?

The Jug Rock in Shoals, IN

I didn't know you could get a passport stamp and Jug Rock Stamp, tho! That was new. Granted, it's been several, several years, since I paid any attention to the area surrounding the Jug Rock haha! We've driven past it several times, and I called out that it was there (think "Hey kids, Big Ben, Parliament! type calling out), but we never stopped. This past Sunday, that changed. Did my family care? I don't think so. Would I stop again? Probably just to annoy them.

The Jug Rock in Shoals, IN

Silly? Maybe. A family adventure? Not really. But it was fun that day. Even though my entire family made fun of me.