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Petroglyph National Monument

6001 Unser Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87103
505-899-0205
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Ranked #26 of 105 attractions in Albuquerque
Type: National Parks, Geologic Formations, Historic Sites
Activities: Running, Hiking
Owner description: Up to 15,000 petroglyphs or prehistoric rock art images have been found on the West Mesa volcanic escarpment, located along a 17-mile canyon outside... more » Owner description: Up to 15,000 petroglyphs or prehistoric rock art images have been found on the West Mesa volcanic escarpment, located along a 17-mile canyon outside of Albuquerque. « less
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180 reviews from our community

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    28
    10
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Date Rating
Somerville, Massachusetts
Senior Contributor
47 reviews 47 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
8 helpful votes 8 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 19 May 2013 NEW

With a person in-the-know, we visited Petroglyph one morning on our trip. It's a great place, not far from town, to get a serious dose of the desert and some exercise. I was quite taken with the place and it isn't a huge time or energy investment (maybe a 2-mile walk). And, it's free.

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See 7 more reviews by cblukens for Albuquerque
Wakefield, MA
Top Contributor
152 reviews 152 reviews
116 attraction reviews
Reviews in 62 cities Reviews in 62 cities
161 helpful votes 161 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 May 2013

On our way to Volcano Park we took the wrong exit and ended up at Rinconada Canyon and we are sure glad that we did. The trail is a sandy trail that is a little over 2 miles. You can see Petroglyphs all along the way and it is just a really pretty hike. The area around it is quite... More

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See 6 more reviews by zippy608 for Albuquerque
KIRKLAND
Contributor
13 reviews 13 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

The Petroglyphs National Monument is close into town and worth spending an hour or so. The ranger at the Visitor Center was very knowledgeable and able to direct us to the areas that are easily accessible.

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See 3 more reviews by MOMBOB for Albuquerque
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Contributor
19 reviews 19 reviews
Reviews in 15 cities Reviews in 15 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013 via mobile

This is worth the stop just for the geology lesson of the Rio Grande Rift Valley. The only Rift Valley in the Western Hemisphere. The volcano activity that ultimately provided the material for the petroglyphs was also very interesting. We hiked the Rinconda valley for 2 miles and saw lots of petroglyphs a few small lizards and a large jack... More

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See 2 more reviews by MikenMary08 for Albuquerque
Amarillo, Texas
Senior Reviewer
9 reviews 9 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 May 2013

This is a little-known national area that I found fascinating. There are quite a few different trails that vary in length and difficulty, and you do not have to walk far to see some petroglyphs. We only saw a few dozen of the thousands in the canyons. It was rather moving to look at these rock etchings and realize that... More

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Cleveland Ohio
Contributor
20 reviews 20 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 May 2013

I visited here in October and could not believe what a positive place this was. First off the facilities were very well kept, educational, and contemporary. The woman working at the counter was incredibly friendly and helpful and was as interested in the petroglyphs as I was which was great to see. She shared other sites and told me what... More

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Colorado Springs, Colorado
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 3 May 2013 via mobile

We came here with our two small children. We only did the short hikes but it was very enjoyable. There were a lot of petroglyphs all along the trail. My kids liked climbing the "mountain." The ranger at the visitor was very friendly, knowledgable and helpful. And you can't beat the price- $1 for parking and that's it!

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Peyton, Colorado
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
9 attraction reviews
Reviews in 14 cities Reviews in 14 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 30 April 2013

We visited about 10:30 in the morning, and it was already warm. Hikes can be long, and out in the open. These are treasures, but may be hard to see considering the age. Take you time, and binoculars, and you will be rewarded. Have good hiking shoes, as the trails can be very sandy. The staff at the visitor center... More

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Dayton, Texas
Senior Contributor
42 reviews 42 reviews
25 attraction reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
4 helpful votes 4 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 29 April 2013

I went early in the morning and although one canyon was closed the other was open and ready to view. Keep your eyes open and look everywhere along the trail so you see as many of the petroglyphs that you can. Climb halfway up at the far end and you will see one rock with seven carvings, turn to your... More

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See 11 more reviews by Paul R for Albuquerque
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 April 2013

We were staying close by, so decided to check out the Petroglyph National Monument. We weren't sorry to have done so but found it disappointing. The area is surrounded by housing developments overlooking the city. It was kind of like eating crab legs : a lot of work for little meat. There is significant climbing along very uneven trails to... More

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