Petroglyph National Monument extends 17 miles along West Mesa of Albuquerque NM, a volcanic basalt escarpment that overlooks the western horizon of the city. Petroglyph National Monument preserves one of North America's largest petroglyph sites, featuring symbols and designs carved over volcanic rocks by Spanish and Native American settlers roughly 400-700 years ago.
The site protects an array of natural and cultural resources including hundreds of archeological sites, five volcanic cones, and an approximated 25,000 carved images. These images are priceless evidence of cultural expression and contain profound spiritual importance for contemporary Native Americans and the early Spanish settlers' descendants.
Unlike other National Park sites, Petroglyph National Monument does not have any trails inside the visitor center's area. The visitor center of the Petroglyph is an Information Center where people can expect to get trail maps and a park brochure. The information center is consist of a self-service information table complete with trail guides and brochure and a Western Nation Park Association or WNPA Park Store.
Boca Negra Canyon is a Petroglyph National Monument's unit that is managed, staffed, and owned by the City of Albuquerque Open Space Division. Located outside Unser Boulevard, a quarter-mile from Montaño Road's north, this canyon offers easy and quick access to 3 self-guided trails (Cliff Base, Macaw, and Mesa Point), where visitors can view around 100 petroglyphs within an hour of walking. While each trail is very short and quick, they vary in difficulty thusly: Cliff Base - moderate, Macaw - moderate, Mesa Point - strenuous. Boca Negra Canyon is the only fully developed area of the monument. A drinking fountain, shaded seating areas, and restroom facilities are provided for hikers' convenience.
Rinconada Canyon is the monument's longest petroglyph viewing trail system and offers an insight into the region's natural, cultural, and geologic resources. Visitors can view historic and prehistoric petroglyphs, wildlife that lives in the vegetation sprouting throughout the canyons, and rock wall shelters and alignments. The area's geology shows the volcanic eruptions' remnants of 200,000 ages ago. These flows' basalt capped the Santa Fe Formation's sandstone.
The basalt detached and dilapidated down the hillside as the softer sandstone corroded away. This geologic action of erosion and weathering that occurred naturally developed the volcanic escarpment as visitors can see it presently and is also where the petroglyphs were carved by the Ancestral Pueblo People. The trail of Rinconada Canyon goes along with the northern escarpment, enabling the hikers to view a various array of petroglyphs. The trail is 2.2 miles roundtrip and is moderately strenuous.
Piedras Marcadas Canyon is situated at the north-eastern point of the Petroglyph National Monument. Hikers from this trail get to see as many as 300-500 petroglyphs. No shade, no restroom facilities, and water are not available in this area. The unpaved trail is 1.5 miles roundtrip and the degree of difficulty is easy to moderate.
Volcanoes Day Use Area is located on the monument's western edge. This trail system provides picturesque miles of hiking throughout the volcanic cinder cones. Visitors and hikers can enjoy the clear vista of the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande valley from the panoramic overlook. Trails at the Volcanoes Day Use Area include Volcanoes Trail which is about 3.5 miles round trip with easy to moderate difficulty, JA Volcano and the Albuquerque Overlook which is 1 mile round trip with easy difficulty, and the Vulcan Volcano Loop which is 2 miles round trip with moderate difficulty.
Many of the over 20,000 images at the Petroglyph National Monument are identifiable as people, crosses, animals, and brands while others are more complex and mysterious. These images are entangled from all who appreciate them, the spirits of the people who created and carved them, and the greater cultural landscape. The historical images carved over these black rocks offer an opportunity for individuals today to share and appreciate the cultures of those who anciently traveled and inhibited all over the Rio Grande Valley.
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