The Mysterious Petroglyph Site In Arizona That Still Baffles Archaeologists To This Day

You've probably heard of Petrified Forest National Park, but what about Newspaper Rock? It's an ancient petroglyph site located within the park, and the stories behind it are as fascinating as they are mysterious.

Most people visit Petrified Forest National Park for one sole purpose: to see the ancient, multi-hued petrified wood that dates to over 200 million years ago.

There is, however, a lesser-known (yet equally fascinating) reason to add the park to your bucket list: Newspaper Rock.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this archaeological site boasts over 650 petroglyphs within a very small area of rockfaces.

Such a high concentration of petroglyphs indicates this was a place of great importance to the ancestral Puebloan people who created them. The exact significance of the area, however, remains unknown.

One thing is for certain: the drawings were made between 650 and 2,000 years ago by people living along the Puerco River. Many generations left their mark here, so - unlike some petroglyph sites - Newspaper Rock doesn't have one linear story to tell.

Instead, it is a collection of experiences chronicled over the ages. The meanings of some individual images have been deciphered, which you can learn more about on several informative signs posted near the site.

Another noteworthy reason to visit Newspaper Rock is the view.

From the main park road, a paved walkway leads to an overlook that showcases the park like you've never seen it before.

Walking down to the rocks is forbidden due to unstable hillsides, so use one of the free spotting scopes to get a closer look at the petroglyphs.

Visit the National Park Service website for more information about Newspaper Rock.

Have you ever been to this ancient petroglyph site in Arizona? If so, we'd love to hear all about your experience! Tell us in the comments. Don't forget to check out our previous article for more reasons to visit Petrified Forest National Park!