petroglyph national monument

I was so excited to finally be able to see this national monument this morning and so disappointed this afternoon. The visitor center is nice, the trails are ok but it was very difficult to spot the petroglyphs. The trail was so far away from the rocks that you had to strain to see most of the images and as many as they claim are there you really dont see many at all. Not bad but not nearly as good as I had hoped.

We were happy to take a walk in the trail towards the canyon in order to understand what are petroglyphs and see some of them. A fun walk in the nature very close to Albuquerque center on a perfect sunny day of March.

Lots of ancient petroglyphs and hiking trails; well cared for area. Bathrooms and good parking. Wear good shoes.

Imagine a row of volcanoes spewing up lava all around the same time. Now imagine that lava turning to a wall of rock 17 miles long. Now imagine millions of years later people come along. They see these cliffs as a sacred place and so they carve symbols reflecting their religious beliefs into the rock. And they do this for hundreds of years. Be sure to hit the visitors center first to get an overview of the place and directions to the sites which are quite wide spread out. There are three major concentrations of glyphs. We went to the northernmost section. At first we were disappointed. Civilization is so close--a Walgreens across from the parking lot but as you walk deeper and deeper into the canyon the place becomes very quiet and you begin to pick out pictures in the cliffs: handprints, symbols, people, birds. Macaws are particularly prevalent. These birds were highly valued by the ancestral Pueblo and were carried up the Rio Grande Valley by traders from México. The hiking is easy but make sure to take water. The other area we visited were the volcanoes at the western end of the park. There's no sign on the road. The site is opposite a concrete block building. If you pass the airport you've gone too far. These are three ancient cinder cones within two miles of each other. The volcanoes offer a view of this ancient cataclysm and a fine view of the modern city of Albuquerque and the Sandia peak beyond. Out of respect to the local Indians who hold this site sacred you are asked not to climb onto the cones. We did not realize this at the time--other people were up there. The view is not all that much better from the top--you can safely skip the sacrilege. We did pick up a water bottle and some other trash that someone had left up there so hopefully the spirits will forgive us.

I find it a bit mind boggling to think of how old these are, who drew them, what was going on at the time and what the city looked like then. I didn't know what to put down for the amount of time spent, it's a personal choice! One can stand or sit on top and look out over the city and then look the other way and just wow! It is amazing. There was a lot of wind the day we went, we were all grateful for it! Take sun screen, a hat and water. Good hiking shoes! You will be climbing! Plenty of parking, small fee to get in, the guide house is NOT where the entrance to the petroglyphs themselves, but worth going in and getting info and maybe some small momentos.

The mention of petroglyph sounds interesting but this bare rock-filled mesa may bore a traveler expecting some grand visual impression. There's more to finding the petroglyphs on the rock surfaces or trod down the barren and possibly rattlesnake-y path.This ancient formation is a product of a turbulent past with its multi-cone volcano complex. We enjoyed exploring the area while being cognizant of keeping our carbon footprint to a minimum. After a couple of hours hike, we saw most of the petroglyphs listed on the trail map and also explored near the volcanic cones.

I love history and really enjoyed this place. Try to make time to do the entire loop trail. Unfortunately someone who did not appreciate the petroglyphs has attempted to destroy some of them. However, many of the petroglyphs are in great shape and well worth the visit. Make sure you take water!!

Entering on the west side of the park, there are hiking trails up to 8 miles in length. Wonderful views of the city of Albuquerque below. No shade, so only do this hike during cooler weather. Here is the link to the hike description from the Albuquerque Senior Center Hiking Group web site:http://www.aschg.org/jsp/hike.jsp?id=H10115

Go off Atrisco Vista Blvd across from the airport - there is a entrance road where you will find parking - a primitive rest area and several hikes to choose from. Take plenty of water and enjoy the view if you go directly up to the top of the old volcano. The view is great in all directions. It is well worth it. But make sure your own water and plenty of it depending on what time of year you visit. There is no shade except a few covered benches.

This turned out to be a great choice for a series of short hikes so close to town when visiting for business. The lingering snow made for some beautiful photos of the desert landscapes. We visited three of the four sites, each having its own distinctive character. If you want to visit the volcano area, be aware there was no sign showing the turnoff to the parking lot. It is a paved roadway heading east, just before the airport. There are no petroglyphs here, but there are good views from the cinder cones and the geology is interesting. The other areas are closer to town, with plenty of petroglyphs to marvel at, whether they are works of art or graffiti from the past. Trails are well marked at these sites and there are interpretive signs along the way. Very worthwhile visit.

We love what this National Monument has to offer. The petroglyphs are wonderful and a joy to see. The hiking is fantastic, especially to the cinder cones, and the park is a short drive from downtown Albuquerque. We visit every time we are in town.

Mother nature frowned on me the day I planned to come here-closed the road in the AM so I went elsewhere. After lunch I decided to try and make it before by 7:30 flight, so I only got to see a snippet, but what I saw was great. I went to Rinconada first. Free entry. Easy relatively flat walk on sand. It was snowing and wet so some of the petroglyphs were obscured but I still saw a bunch. The path is circular, with the second half walking through fields but I would recommend backtracking the way you came in. I did and saw a few symbols I had missed coming in. I went next to the visitor center. Chatted with the nice ranger. I think her name was Alison, but I am probably wrong since I am terrible at names. Got my passport book stamped and continued to Boca Negra Canyon. $1 entry. Unfortunately, this is not a place to go when it is raining/snowing as the trails are a kind of cement/blacktop that I found to be slippery. I started up the hill of the one trail-saw what was my favorite petroglyph-it looked like a weasel holding a lollipop-but even in hiking books felt a bit unsure about walking. There are several other trails by the restrooms and I was able to see several over there without climbing up anywhere. In good weather this would be a great place for an afternoon visit. I kind of liked seeing the residential neighborhood surrounding it-past and present intertwined.

Having just read about the Petroglyphs in school, I was very excited to visit this place. Finding a subdivision built right in front of this monument seemed beyond bizarre. Once inside I saw one of the coolest things in my life. I think. I absolutely loved looking around at artwork that was possibly thousands of years old, but had a hard time distinguishing between the original art and recent vandalism. Go see it while it is still there.

We needed much more time at this monument! We only had time to visit Boca Negra Canyon which was loaded with petroglyphs scattered along an easy paved path. Make sure you watch the video at the visitor's center to better understand the monument.

Park in what appears to be a strip mall and walk 100 yards into complete solitude! Exemplary petroglyphs, clearly visible and often quite close. Striking, surprising figures and forms. Abundant desert wild life we saw roadrunner, quail, bewicks wrens and other birds as well as tracks of animals. Hills are stark and high. Sometimes see animals silhouetted against the sky looking down at us. Gives a real sense of being alone in the desert. Trails and signs are confusing at times, but definitely cannot get lost. This is a "do not miss"!