Newspaper Rock

National Historical Site - Indian Creek State Park

Newspaper Rock

Newspaper Rock is a petroglyph panel etched in sandstone that records perhaps 2,000 years of human activity in the area. Etched into the desert varnish are more than 650 symbols representing the Fremont, Anasazi, Navajo and Anglo cultures.

The exact nature of these symbols’ meanings is still not clearly understood. But they are typical of many sites throughout the U.S. in their use of universal symbols, be it graffiti or a true "newspaper" recording events of the times and earlier. The Navajo term for the rock is "Tse' Hone'", or "Rock that tells a Story."

Approach to Newspaper Rock

Another View of the Symbols

The area is right next to Utah Route 211, 24 miles northwest of Monticello on the main road into the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park. It is usually bypassed by travelers hurrying elsewhere. They are missing one of the finest displays of Indian rock art to be found anywhere in the U.S. This is also one of the few petroglyph sites that is easily accessible and can be viewed and photographed at close range.

Made a state historic monument of Utah in 1961, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Indian Creek State Park in 1976.

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