Located just down the road from the famous Newspaper Rock, the Shay Canyon rock art site is a hidden gem within the Indian Creek area of Bears Ears National Monument. While Newspaper Rock is a centralized panel, Shay Canyon features a series of petroglyph panels stretching for nearly a quarter-mile along the cliff base. This is a site I had passed by many times over the years before taking the time to stop and visit. It turned out to be an excellent site.

The panels at Shay Canyon are from different cultures over millennia, showing the evolution of different cultures and styles. Some of the most weathered, abstract images are believed to be the oldest, dating back over 2,000 years. (Archaic and Basketmaker) The anthropomorphs (human-like figures) with trapezoidal bodies, broad shoulders, and intricate headwear or necklaces are likely from the Fremont. I saw a few that appear to include horses, indicating a more recent creation, likely Ute.

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