DGY2CB Petroglyph on Mesa Point trail in Boca Negra Canyon section of the Petrogrlyph National Monument, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

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Petroglyph National Monument

Albuquerque

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The lava fields preserved in this large desert park, west of the Rio Grande, are adorned with more than 23,000 ancient petroglyphs (1000 BC–AD 1700). Several trails are scattered far and wide: Boca Negra Canyon is the busiest and most accessible (open 8:30am to 4:30pm; parking $1/2 weekday/weekend); Piedras Marcadas holds around 300 petroglyphs (sunrise to sunset); while Rinconada Canyon is a lovely desert walk (sunrise to sunset; 2.2 miles round trip), but with fewer visible petroglyphs.

Take exit 154 off I-40 to reach the visitor center, 5.5 miles northwest of Old Town. The trails are several miles to the north and south of the center.

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