Birthing Scene - Moab

Birthing Scene
AKA: Birthing Rock & Birthing Stone

Moab
Family Fun

The Birthing Scene is one of the more popular and unique rock art panels in the Moab area. It is easy to access, exciting to explore and in excellent condition.

General Information:
The Birthing Scene is a popular rock art panel conveniently located near Moab. The panel is accessible to all vehicles, year round. A round trip from Moab should take approximately one hour.

The Birthing Scene is a large rock covered on four sides with native American rock art. Figures and designs cover the periods and cultures from the Anasazi (AD 1 to AD 1275), Fremont (AD 450 to AD 1250) and the Ute (AD 1200's to AD 1880). The well known "birthing scene" is found on the left-hand corner of the north side of the boulder. Notice the feet first presentation of the baby. The remainder of the rock is covered with various animal forms, such as a centipede, a horse, bear paws, a snake, as well as triangular anthropomorphic (human) figures and a sandal trackway.

Navigation for this route is easy. GPS waypoints are provided for convenience. There is nothing difficult about the route. The USGS 7.5' Map titled "Moab" shows the area. All waypoints and maps for this route use the WGS84 datum.

Route Information:
Locate the McDonald's at the south end of Moab on the corner of Main Street and Kane Creek Drive. Follow Kane Creek Drive west for 4.7 miles to where the pavement ends at a cattle guard (N38° 32' 03", W109° 36' 00"). From the cattle guard follow the well maintained gravel road south for 1.4 miles to a small pull-out on the west (right) side of the road. Approximately 75-feet west and down slope from the pull-out is a large boulder with rock art on all four sides commonly known as the Birthing Scene (N38° 31' 19", W109° 36' 10"). The large boulder should be easy to see from the road. Walk down and take a look, but remember not to touch.

Rock Art Information:
Although it is difficult to establish an exact age of rock art, some dating clues are easily identified. For example, whenever a horse and rider is depicted, we know the date to be after A.D. 1540 when the Spaniards reintroduced the horse to the New World. The presence of bows and arrows is presumed to indicate a date after A.D. 500, the generally accepted time period for their appearance in this region.

Anasazi - AD 1 to AD 1275
A variety of human forms (Anthropomorphic) with earrings, headdresses, handprints, paw prints, birds, spirals, bighorn sheep, shield-like images, deer, Kokopelli and some abstract designs.

Fremont - AD 450 to AD 1250
Broad-shouldered human forms trapezoidal in shape with abstract interior body decorations, elaborate headdresses with ear bobs, facial decorations, bighorn sheep and deer.

Ute - AD 1200's to AD 1880
Human forms on foot and mounted on horseback, hunting and warfare scenes, horses, and bison.

Please take only pictures and leave only footprints.

Video:
Enjoy a short video of the Birthing Scene Petroglyph.