Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument — Attraction in Monticello

Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument is a fascinating and culturally significant site located in southeastern Utah, near the entrance to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. This sandstone rock panel features one of the largest known collections of petroglyphs — ancient rock carvings created by Native American peoples over 2,000 years ago.

The rock is covered with hundreds of images etched into the dark desert varnish, depicting animals, human figures, hunting scenes, and symbolic shapes. These petroglyphs were created by several Native cultures, including the Ancestral Puebloans, Fremont, and Navajo. The exact meanings of the carvings remain a mystery, adding to the monument’s sense of wonder and historical depth.

The name "Newspaper Rock" comes from the dense concentration of petroglyphs, which resemble a chaotic page of ancient news or messages. It served as a communication hub, where generations of people recorded their stories, beliefs, and experiences on the stone.

Easily accessible via a short walk from a parking area along Highway 211, Newspaper Rock is a must-see for history lovers, archaeologists, and travelers interested in Native American heritage. It offers a rare and powerful glimpse into the ancient voices of the...

This is an amazing piece of art. There are layers upon layers of petroglyphs. The more you look, the more you see. It's not very big, but it was clearly an important place to generations of native people, since they kept coming back to leave their own mark on this rock. In some places, you can see where images had begun to fade and were carved again. In other places, the previous images were covered by something completely different. You can tell which carvings are older based on the patina that has developed on them since they were created. It's an easy, 25-minute (or so) drive on paved roads from the main highway to Newspaper Rock. There is a parking lot, and the rock face is right next to it. There are pit toilets that are well maintained, and Newspaper Rock itself is fenced off, but you are close enough to be able see everything. Take some time to just look--there's so...

The Newspaper Rock State Historic Monument is one cool rock. Talk about history! This old rock has drawings dating back 2000+ year! I can’t even wrap my head around that. The parking lot is pretty big and it’s just a short walk to see the Newspaper Rock. There’s a small low fence around the rock to prevent people from touching it, but you can get pretty close to look at all the different drawings. There are restrooms here with toilets that are like porta potty (just a hole, doesn’t flush). I would hold it if possible, otherwise hold your breath and take you chance at the restroom. This monument is located in Utah on Rt. 11, about 23 miles from The Needles district of Canyonlands...