Fun Facts About Newspaper Rock

1. Ancient Petroglyphs: Newspaper Rock features one of the largest and best-preserved collections of petroglyphs in the United States, with over 650 symbols carved into the dark sandstone.

2. Centuries of History: The carvings were created by various Indigenous cultures over the past 2,000 years, including the Ancestral Puebloans, Navajo, and Ute peoples, making it a historical and cultural treasure.

3. Unique Name: The site earned its name because the collection of symbols resembles a "newspaper" of stories and messages, though the exact meanings of many carvings remain a mystery to modern archaeologists.

4. Accessible Location: It's located along Utah's Scenic Byway 211, the main road to Canyonlands National Park’s Needles District, and is easily accessible for visitors of all ages.

5. Natural Preservation: The petroglyphs are etched into a type of rock called desert varnish, a dark coating that forms naturally on sandstone due to oxidation, which helped preserve these ancient markings for millennia.