Expedia Adds Tours for Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument

Expedia, a travel services provider, has expanded its offerings to include guided tour options for the Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument in Utah. The site, located near the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, is distinguished by its more than 650 ancient petroglyphs.

The monument, known as Tse’ Hane to the Navajo people, provides insights into the lives of the Ancestral Puebloan, Fremont, and Navajo cultures that inhabited the area between 500 and 2,000 years ago. The carvings were created by scratching off the dark desert varnish to reveal the lighter sandstone underneath.

Visitors can view the petroglyphs from a viewing fence. Direct access to the rock is not permitted. The etchings depict human figures, animals, weapons, and geometric or abstract symbols, believed to represent family symbols, spiritual messages, or calendar events.

Newspaper Rock State Historical Monument is situated along the Indian Creek Corridor Scenic Byway within Bears Ears National Monument, approximately 50 miles south of Moab. Visiting the site is free and it is open year-round. Spring and fall offer the most pleasant weather conditions for visits. The site includes a parking area and restrooms.