Petroglyph Interpretive Tour

The Petroglyph Interpretive Tour at Columbia Hills State Park provides guided access to Tsagaglalal, known as She Who Watches, one of the most celebrated and culturally significant pieces of Native American rock art in the Columbia River region. This guided walk is offered on select Friday and Saturday mornings during spring and fall, led by knowledgeable Washington State Parks interpreters who provide cultural context and protect the irreplaceable archaeological resources. Tsagaglalal is a large-scale petroglyph depicting a human face with distinctive wide eyes, carved into a basalt outcrop overlooking the Columbia River by the Indigenous peoples of the Columbia Plateau. The figure faces east toward the river and has been interpreted through Native oral tradition as a female chief transformed into stone to eternally watch over her people. The tour visits this petroglyph and others in the area, explaining the petroglyphs' creation methods, cultural meanings, and the larger context of Columbia Plateau Indigenous cultures that flourished along this reach of the river for thousands of years. The Wishram and Wasco peoples had major trading villages at this location where the river narrows, and the rock art reflects the spiritual life of these communities. Reservations are required and spaces are limited to protect the resource. The short, easy walking distance makes this accessible to virtually all visitors. An unforgettable cultural experience.