Not far from the soaring arches and red rocks of Arches National Park, we discovered some of the area’s oldest storytellers, their stories etched into stone. If you visit Arches, don’t skip the petroglyph sites in and around the park. They’re easy to reach (most just short walks or drives), and some are over 3,000 years old. Talk about ancient art galleries.
One of the highlights inside the park is the Wolfe Ranch Petroglyphs, just off the trail to Delicate Arch. Carved by the Ute Indians sometime between the 1600s and 1800s, the panel shows horses, riders, and bighorn sheep. It’s believed they were carved after the Spanish reintroduced horses to the area. The trail is short and easy, so you can take a quick detour on your way to Delicate Arch.
👉 Wolfe Ranch Historic Site info
If you’re exploring outside the park, there are even more sites worth seeing along Potash Road (UT-279). From Moab, head north on US-191, then turn onto Potash Road and drive about five miles. Look for a faded sign, people craning their necks at the cliffs, and the occasional rock climber. That’s your clue you’ve found it.
The petroglyphs here were carved by the San Rafael Fremont culture between 600–1300 AD and stretch along the rock walls beside the road.
You’ll spot animals, human figures, and intricate patterns. Standing there, it’s almost overwhelming to imagine someone hundreds of years ago, standing in that same spot, chipping their stories into the stone.
Farther along Potash Road, you’ll come to Jug Handle Arch. It’s a short hike to reach the base of the arch, where carvings from the ancient Pueblo and Ute people date to around the 1300s. The arch itself is worth the visit, but the petroglyphs make it extra special.
And just when you think the landscape can’t get any older, you come across something that makes even the petroglyphs look new: dinosaur tracks. The Moab area is one of the richest track sites in the country.
On a tilted slab along Potash Road, we stood next to three-toed prints from an Allosaurus, a predator that ruled this region roughly 190 million years ago. According to the site sign, three types of dinosaurs left their mark here: Allosaurus, Eubrontes, and Grallator, all bipedal walkers. Standing where dinosaurs once roamed? Goosebumps.
The Moab and Arches region is full of fossil sites—formations like the Morrison, Cedar Mountain, and Mill Canyon Dinosaur Tracksite preserve everything from footprints to burrows and feeding traces.
Together, the rock art and fossil tracks tell the story of life in this desert—people carving their lives into stone, and creatures long before them leaving their prints in the mud.
Both are fragile, irreplaceable pieces of history. Admire them, photograph them, but please don’t touch! Let’s keep these ancient stories around for the next travelers who stop to listen.
From ancient artists to Jurassic giants, this corner of Utah never stops surprising me. Have you stumbled onto any prehistoric finds on your trips? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments!
If you want to go👉 https://www.discovermoab.com/attractions/arts-in-moab/rock-art-sites/