Petroglyph National Monument

Petroglyph National Monument is a national monument run by the National Park Service in New Mexico.

In the park service’s words

Petroglyph National Monument protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring designs and symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700 years ago. These images are a valuable record of cultural expression and hold profound spiritual significance for contemporary Native Americans and for the descendants of the early Spanish settlers.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

• Picnicking at Petroglyph National Monument (1 to 3 Hours): Locations of picnic areas in Petroglyph National Monument.
• Boca Negra Canyon (5 to 60 Minutes): Visiting Boca Negra Canyon.
• Piedras Marcadas Canyon (1 to 2 Hours): Details about the Piedras Marcadas Canyon trail.
• WNPA Park Store: Details about the WNPA park store.
• Junior and Senior Ranger Programs (1 to 4 Hours): Details about the Petroglyph National Monument Junior and Senior Ranger programs.
• Volcanoes Day Use Area (1 to 4 Hours): Details about the Volcanoes Day Use Area.
• Rinconada Canyon (90 to 120 Minutes): Details about the hike in Rinconada Canyon.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Daily, 8:30AM - 4:30PM. Staffed by our partner, the City of Albuquerque Open Space, this developed trail system consists of 3 short, paved trails with trail markers. Full-service restroom facility, picnic tables, shaded seating areas and a shaded patio area. See up to 100 petroglyphs in one hour if you walk all 3 trails. Last entry is at 4:00 pm daily and all visitors are swept out at 4:30 pm sharp. Pets not allowed on the petroglyph viewing trails. Trails are not accessible for wheelchairs or strollers.

Getting there

GPS: Lat: 35.139 Long: -106.711 From Interstate 40, take the Unser Blvd. exit (#154) proceed north 3 miles to Western Trail. Turn left or west onto Western Trail and follow road to the Information Center parking lot. From Interstate 25, take the Paseo del Norte exit (#232) and proceed west to Coors Road exit south (must be in center lane to veer left at the Y). Proceed south on Coors Road to Western Trail. Turn right or west onto Western Trail and follow road to the Information Center parking lot.

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

• [Petroglyph Information Center](): Daily, 8:30AM - 4:30PM. Information only. No trails. All petroglyph viewing trails are a 1-7 mile drive from the visitor center. Get a park brochure, trail map, and safety information. A Western National Parks Association Park store is available. Access, Military, and 4th Grader passes are issued. If you arrive after 4:30 pm, hike Piedras Marcadas (9501 Golf Course Rd NW), a 1.5 mile loop or Rinconada Canyon (Unser Blvd. & St. Joseph) sunrise to sunset, park outside gate, 2.2 mile loop, 300 petroglyphs, no water.

Weather

Altitude approx. 5000 ft. Usually sunny and dry, with low relative humidity. Winter temperatures range from 40 to 50 degrees F. Summer temperatures range from 88-99 degrees F. 278 days of sunshine per year. Spring can be windy with 20 to 30 mph sustained winds which can produce periods of blowing sand and dust. For current weather forecast, Google Albuquerque weather.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is White Sands, about 166 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

• National Park Service Data API: Petroglyph National Monument (public domain)
• Official website

Last checked 1 November 2026.