Petroglyph National Monument, located on the western edge of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a 7,200-acre park and home to one of the largest collections of petroglyphs in North America, with over 25,000 images carved into the volcanic rock by Native Americans and early Spanish settlers.
Planning Your Visit
Important!
This National Monument does not have a main visitor center like other traditional National Park sites. There are NO petroglyph viewing trails, no museum, and no exhibits at the information center. It does have a park store and brochures available, but that’s about it.
None of the trails leave from the information center and this park is free of charge, so you won’t need to purchase or show a pass anywhere.
For our visit, we decided against going to the information center, especially as we picked hiking the Piedras Marcadas Canyon trail which we were passing on our way into town.
Note the approximate drive times from the information center below, and they are not all in the same direction:
- Boca Negra Canyon – 10-minute drive
- Rinconada Canyon – 5-minute drive
- Piedras Marcadas Canyon – 15-minute drive
- Volcanoes Day Use Area – 20-minute drive
What to See and Do
There are four main areas of the park that offer trails to hike; three of which will take you to see petroglyphs. More on that below:
Boca Negra Canyon – This is the most accessible and popular area of the Petroglyph National Monument. You can explore three short trails here —Mesa Point, Macaw, and Cliff Base—that offer an up-close view of around 100 petroglyphs. The trails are well-marked and have different levels of difficulty: Mesa Point – strenuous, Macaw – moderate, Cliff Base – moderate. This stop will take you approximately an hour and is open daily from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Unlike the others, this one has a last entry time of 4:00 PM. It does have restrooms and water.
Rinconada Canyon – This trail is a bit more secluded and natural for viewing petroglyphs. It’s an undeveloped, moderate, 2.2-mile round-trip hike that takes you along a sandy trail lined with 200-300 petroglyphs. It will take you approximately 1.5 – 2 hours to complete. Access is allowed from sunrise to sunset. There is no water but latrines are at the trailhead.
Piedras Marcadas Canyon – This trail is also a bit less crowded and is a moderate undeveloped 1.5-mile round-trip trail that leads you through a landscape dotted with volcanic boulders, many of which are adorned with petroglyphs. The trail is relatively flat and easy to navigate, making it accessible for most visitors. See approximately 300-500 petroglyphs in 1.5 hours. There is no water, restrooms, or shade, and is open from sunrise to sunset.
We did this hike near the end of the day in the middle of the summer. It was hot without the shade but we were able to hike it with no problem as it was a relatively flat path. It is also right near houses and the parking lot is behind the Valvoline.
Volcanoes Day Use Area: This area provides a different perspective on Petroglyph National Monument, showcasing the geological features that helped shape the landscape. There are no petroglyphs in this area but you can see clear views of the Rio Grande valley and the Sandia Mountains from the scenic overlook. The undeveloped trails in this area vary in length from 1 mile to 4 miles round-trip and will take anywhere from 1-4 hours to complete. allow visitors to explore the volcanic terrain and enjoy the stunning vistas. There is no water but latrines are at the trailhead. Access is allowed from sunrise to sunset.
Final Note:
After all was said and done, we only did the Piedras Marcadas Canyon trail and felt like we had fully seen and experienced this National Monument. We spent the rest of our time in Albuquerque exploring the city and the University of New Mexico. We had already seen other petroglyphs on our trip that were arguably better, so we were ready to move on!
