Traveling through Utah on the 15 freeway, the Parawan Gap Petroglyphs are a must-see.
Can you say “ROAD TRIP?” So many times, I’m asked, “Are you really going to drive the whole way?” My answer is “Absolutely!”
We have so much fun driving and exploring all of the new places we find along our way. Our road trip this August takes us through not one but nine states. Starting in Southern California, we headed up Interstate 15 through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and back into Idaho. Then it’s on to Washington, Oregon, and back down Interstate 5 into California. Wow, talk about fun times.
Traveling through the Utah desert and red rock canyons, we exit Interstate 15 just north of Cedar City. Next, we head a short distance across a beautiful farm-filled valley.
Leaving the farmland behind, we drive a few miles through a winding canyon of steep red rock cliffs. The canyons end at the Parawan Gap. The Parawan Gap is a narrow 500-foot-deep gap through what is known as the Red Hills. The actual gap is only wide enough for a two-lane road.
Parawan Gap
Our destination, the Parawan Gap Petroglyphs, is located at the entrance to this gap.
A parking lot and restrooms are available courtesy of The Bureau of Land Management. The Petroglyphs are right along the side of the road and easy to access. An iron railing is installed to keep visitors a short distance from the actual artwork.
The artwork, chiseled and chipped into the sandstone several centuries ago, is thought to be the work of ancient ancestors of the Southern Paiute and Hopi people. During their frequent journeys, they stopped and camped near the gap.
Archaeologists are unsure of what the actual artwork represents, but it is believed to represent concepts, ideas, religious activity, hunting rituals, and art depicting actual events.
Only a few miles from interstate 15, down a road less traveled, we had so much fun exploring the Red Hills, the Parawan Gap area, and the Petroglyphs.
The Parawan Gap Petroglyphs are a perfect example of the exciting new places one can find and explore on a road trip around our beautiful country.