The carving, documented by researcher Van Hoek in 1987, sits about 3.5 metres north-northeast from another marked stone in the area, near the base of a local ridge. Though nature has begun to reclaim it with overgrowth, the main feature remains remarkably clear: a flat-bottomed footprint carved into the rock surface.

The footprint measures 18 centimetres long, with the toe area spanning 6 centimetres across and an equally sized heel width; a surprisingly delicate impression for such an enduring monument. What makes this carving particularly fascinating is the presence of four oval rings that once surrounded the footprint, though centuries of weathering have nearly erased them, especially on the southern side. The rock itself slopes at a 19-degree angle facing east-northeast, creating a natural canvas for this prehistoric artwork.

This type of rock art, featuring footprints and circular motifs, appears throughout Ireland and often dates to the Bronze Age or earlier. While the exact purpose and meaning of such carvings remain debated amongst archaeologists, they likely held ritual or territorial significance for the communities who created them. The Magheranaul footprint joins hundreds of similar carved stones scattered across Donegal, each one a tangible link to Ireland's prehistoric past and the people who once walked these landscapes.