Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument

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Petroglyphs on Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument, southern Utah, USA
Petroglyphs on Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument, southern Utah, USA

Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument is located in some 25 miles (40 km) north and west of Monticello in eastern Utah, western United States, and south and west of Moab. The Monument features a flat rock with one of the largest known collections of petroglyphs.

The petryoglyphs were carved by Native Americans during both the prehistoric and historic periods. Some glyphs depict riders on horses. While precise dating the rock carvings is difficult, repatination of surface minerals reveals their relative ages. The reason for the large concentration of the petroglyphs is unclear, making the rock somewhat of a mystery.

The location is near a stream and trail in an area with long expanses of otherwise impassable vertical cliffs. The carved facet is located along state highway 211, the access road to Canyonlands National Park Needles District.