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Birthing Rock

Rating: 
Round Trip Distance: 0.2 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 4180 - 4255 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead: Kane Creek Blvd. MM 5.8
Fee: none
Attractions: petroglyphs




The Birthing Rock site is located about 6 miles west of Moab, Utah along Kane Creek Blvd. A large boulder at the site is adorned with petroglyphs on all four sides. The eponymous image of a woman giving birth can be found on the east side of the boulder.


To get to the Birthing Rock site turn onto Kane Creek Blvd. at the McDonald's off of Highway 191 in Moab. Follow the road for just under 6 miles. There are several small pullouts along the road near the site and one larger one just a bit further. This picture was taken from the larger pullout looking back towards town at the site. The large boulder about a hundred feet away and just below the road is the ultimate destination.


There are several well worn paths that lead from the road to the boulder.


The image of a woman giving birth is probably the first thing everyone looks for. Notice that the baby is shown being delivered feet first.


The east side of the boulder is covered with lots of other interesting images besides the birthing scene. There are a couple of centipedes in the lower left hand corner that we outlined on the computer in purple. (You might have to click on the picture to make it big enough to see them.) The large figure of a man next to the woman giving birth has a smaller human image just above his necklace. All the way on the righthand side of the boulder, outlined in blue, is a figure with a knapsack on its back similar to the normal presentation of the famous kokopelli figure. (Many people mistakenly think the kokopelli figure is hunchbacked but when images are found of him that show more detail they depict he is carrying a backpack.)


Here are some figures that are on the north side of the boulder.


The west side of the boulder has a couple of interesting scenes. One is of a hunter with a bow. Another scene might be of two men fighting. Most of that side of the boulder has scaled off and is lost forever. The petroglyphs on the south side of the boulder are also pretty faded. The images in the lower right corner wrap around to those on the front.


This is a photo on the south side of a different boulder that was located near the road behind where we had parked. It might depict two men that followed the river south to a place where they grew corn.


The Birthing Rock is among a half dozen sites that are part of the Moab Rock Art Motor Tour that includes the Golf Course, Moonflower Canyon, Potash Road, Courthouse Wash and Wolf Ranch sites. These are only a handful of the sites around Moab but they are all easy to get to and make for a fun day of exploration. If you would like to see them for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.