Petroglyph National Monument

Take a historical hike among 15,000 ancient rock drawings which date back thousands of years. The 7,100-acre monument contains some of the nation's largest natural displays of prehistoric artwork. Anasazi nomadic hunters etched various drawings and messages onto the black basalt boulders of the escarpment just west of the Rio Grande, as well as Spanish settlers, up to 700 years ago. This is an...

Although the park is open in winter, the petroglyphs are hard to see when the rocks are wet. Save your trip for a dry, sunny, snow-free day.

Boca Negra Canyon is a fee area (though it's never more than a couple of dollars) and takes less than an hour to visit. The undeveloped Riconada Canyon to the south is free and can take up to three hours to explore.

Overview West of Albuquerque, a black ribbon of lava winds along for 17 miles, the product of the five volcanic cones directly behind it. It might not look like anything but a popular hangout for rattlesnakes, but more than…

Do you wonder what a petroglyph is or why they were made? We hope to answer these questions in this website or during your visit. Either way, you can help us protect and take care of the petroglyphs by following some simple rules. New Mexico's history has led to a wondrous blending of cultures: from the Puebloan and other indigenous groups that have been here for thousands of years, through the...