5 Tips for Visiting the Beautiful Petroglyph National Monument

Published on December 30, 2021. Last Updated on December 31, 2025.

If you are visiting my hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, you will love spending a morning or afternoon visiting the beautiful Petroglyph National Monument.

Located on Albuquerque’s West Side, Petroglyph National Monument is a must see to understand a bit more about the history and cultures of New Mexico. I grew up across the street from Petroglyph National Monument. And Buddy and I visit the area at least every other trip home.  Here are my top 5 tips!

Quick Links for Travel Made Easy! 🏨 Find Hotels 🚗 Rent a Car 🎫 Book a Tour

Petroglyph National Monument: The details

Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center is located at 6510 Western Trail NW in Albuquerque. The monument itself has multiple locations throughout Albuquerque. Park trails are open year round, but each trail has different hours of operation. The park is free to enter. For the most up-to-date information, visit the national park service website.

What is a petroglyph?

A petroglyph is ancient rock art, which is usually carved into volcanic rocks, that is common in the Southwest deserts.

As of Monday April 29, 2024, Petroglyph National Monument closed the upper section of Mesa Point Trail in Boca Negra Canyon. This includes the section that is the top of the West Mesa (the part with the incredible views of the city of Albuquerque and the Rio Grande Valley). The National Park Service states that the closure is due to visitors creating cairns in recent years. And the removal of rocks from an archeological site.

Buddy and I are completely devastated with this recent closure! Because of the views at the top of the mesa, Mesa Point Trail was our favorite trail to hike in Petroglyph National Monument. I have been hiking this trail as a child and I am really disappointed that this is no longer an option.

A friendly reminder to always practice Leave No Trace when out in nature and especially practice Principle 4: Leave What You Find in both archeological sites and on hikes. Unfortunately, one (or many!) cairn can ruin it for the rest of us.

Pro Tip! Make sure to bring your water bottle. Some sites to not have water.

Hiking the Albuquerque Volcanoes

Currently, some of the trails in the Volcano Day Use Area are closed off. When Buddy and I hiked the area in October 2023, we were able to hike to the top of the Black Volcano, but the trail to the Vulcan Volcano was closed. We visited again in February 2024, but did not hike this area.

However, a quick scan of the Volcanoes Trail on AllTrails and recent comments also note that some of the trails and areas on the Volcanoes Trail are blocked off for restoration. We recommend double checking which parts of the trail are open when you arrive.

Pro Tip! Petroglyph National Monument is great about sharing park updates on social media. If you plan on visiting, make sure to check their social media pages for up-to-date information.

Fun Fact! The Albuquerque Volcanoes are dormant fissure volcanoes located near the middle of the Rio Grande Rift Valley.

Top 5 Tips for visiting Petroglyph National Monument

1. Most of Petroglyph National Monument is next to residential areas

If you are driving to the Petroglyph National Monument and your path takes you past Chaparral Elementary School or through a subdivision or two, no worries! You are on the correct path.  The Petroglyph National Monument is almost completely surrounded by the city of Albuquerque. And you will drive through the residential areas to get to the Visitor Center, which is definitely worth the visit.

In the Southwest, where many National Parks tend to be in rural areas, it can be a bit bizarre driving up to Petroglyph National Monument in the middle of Albuquerque. But rest assured, you are headed in the right direction.

2. Trails are located at multiple locations

There is a total of five different points of interest at Petroglyph National Monument.

• Boca Negra Canyon
• Rinconada Canyon
• Piedras Marcadas Canyon
• Volcanoes
• South Point Day Use Area
• And the Visitor Center

The Canyons and the Volcanoes trails range from 1.3 miles to 12.5 miles from the Visitor Center. Each point of interest has its own set of rules for pets (some do not allow dog walking), picnic tables, and access to water and restrooms. Some areas, like Boca Negra Canyon, have multiple trails. Others like the Rinconada Canyon trail have one trail. And Volcanoes does not have any petroglyphs.

We love hiking! My favorite location to visit with Buddy is Boca Negra Canyon. We always hike the Mesa Point Trail. Buddy especially likes this trail. He says, “It’s really cool to see the lava rocks. Some of them have cool shapes. And the view over Albuquerque is beautiful.” The view is breathtaking! You can see the Sandia Mountains, and the Rio Grande Valley from atop the West Mesa. The Macaw Trail and Cliff Base Trail are short and easy hikes in the area.

Unfortunately, upper Mesa Point Trail is now closed. We are very bummed because it was our favorite trail in the Monument. We hope it reopens sometime in the future.

It is highly recommended you stop by the Visitor Center when you arrive to pick up a Petroglyph Viewing Trail Information brochure complete with maps and up-to-date information regarding each of the different points of interest. This information can help you decide which locations in Petroglyph National Monument best suits your needs and interests.

Speaking of the Visitor’s Center.

3. Stop by the Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Center

The Visitor Center has a 20-minute informational film about the petroglyphs, the history of the land and cultures of New Mexico and the history of the National Monument. If you want to understand the importance of the petroglyphs to the people of New Mexico and their significance, this film is a must see.  Also, this is a great time to pick up a brochure and park map to begin your adventure. First timers, plan to spend about an hour at the Visitor Center.

Bonus tip: You do not need to wait for the film to start playing. There is a button under the TV that guests can press to start the film at any time.

Aside from the film, the Visitor’s Center offers water, a gift shop, and restrooms. There is no museum or exhibit at the Visitor Center and no trail heads at the area either. Therefore, the top two things to do at the Visitor Center are:

• See the film
• Pick up a map and brochure

Thoughts from a (former) local: I grew up across the street from the Petroglyph National Monument and have visited the site numerous times. However, my first time at the Visitor Center was in November 2021. Buddy and I went to get his National Park passport book stamped. He has been visiting Petroglyph National Monument since he was a baby, but never received a stamp. I was pleasantly surprised by the Visitor Center, especially the film. It was intriguing to me because I did not know the history of the monument and the events leading up to its creation as I was a child at the time it was founded.

4. Albuquerque’s Altitude

At 5,312 feet, Albuquerque is over a mile high in altitude. Hiking the petroglyphs, such as the popular Boca Negra Canyon, you will have to climb up the mesa. If you are from a lower altitude, chances are you will be a bit winded during your hike because of the difference in altitude.

When I travel from Tucson to Albuquerque and hike Boca Negra Canyon the next day, I feel the altitude. If you have the time to wait a few days to acclimate to the altitude before going on the hike, I recommend doing so.

5. When to Visit Petroglyph National Monument

The spring and fall can be windy in Albuquerque, especially on the mesa. A windbreaker will provide warmth on breezy days. This is a great afternoon excursion if you are in town for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. And of course, it can get cold and snowy in the winter. But the petroglyphs and mesa are beautiful with a light dusting of snow.

It does get hot in Albuquerque in the summer. If you are there any time June-August, consider hiking in the morning to beat the heat. Buddy and I have hiked Boca Negra in the afternoon in July and it was very hot. And living in Southern Arizona, we are used to the heat! Also, be wary of monsoon storms at that time of year and take cover in the chance of severe weather including lightening.

Bonus Tip: What to bring to Petroglyph National Monument

As a former local, here are my top recommendations for visiting Petroglyph National Monument.

A Car

Although the Petroglyph National Monument says you can walk or bike to the trails from the Visitor Center, I would not recommend it. Some of the locations are far from one another and the roads connecting the park trails, like Golf Course Road, Unser Boulevard, and Paseo Del Norte, are major roads on Albuquerque’s West Side. Traffic is heavy and drivers tend to go very fast on these roads.

I definitely do NOT recommend walking.

Also, I have not found Albuquerque to be a very bike friendly city, so I do not recommend that either.

Regarding ride share, in my experience, getting an Uber or Lyft to and from Albuquerque’s West Side tends to be expensive. And there is a really long wait for drivers to show up if you are on the West Side. I definitely recommend driving your own vehicle or renting a car to visit to Petroglyph National Monument.

Pro Tip from a former local: Always lock your car and never ever leave valuables in your car.

Renting a car in Albuquerque?

Rent your car today! Compare prices on Rentalcars.com and DiscoverCars!

Other items

• Good hiking shoes. My favorites are Merrell Women’s Sirens. I currently have the Siren Sport 3 Hiking Shoe. I wore them on the mesa when we filmed the Movement Postcard at Boca Negra Canyon (on the area of the trail that is now closed).
• Sunscreen. Because of Albuquerque’s altitude, sunscreen is recommended even in the winter months or on a cloudy day. I also recommend a hat.
• Water bottle
• Carabiner clips. While hiking, you can use one to secure your water bottle to your crossbody bag, or a jacket to a backpack. I use carabiner clips all the time when traveling to attach shoes or jackets to my backpack or carry on. They really come in handy!

Petroglyph National Monument holds a special place in my and my family’s hearts. We hope that you enjoy the petroglyphs and the mesa on you next trip.

FOLLOW US!

• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Facebook
• YouTube
• X

Are you planning a trip to Petroglyph National Monument? Have you visited Petroglyph National Monument? If so, what trail was your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

Do you have questions about family travel or traveling with teens? Feel free to reach out! We are happy to chat and share our experiences and look forward to connecting with you.

If you enjoyed reading this post, you may also like:

• 5 Useful Tips for a Fun Hike Cathedral Spires Trail
• The Beautiful Saguaro National Park East: Helpful Tips for Hiking
• Important Tips for Hiking in Badlands National Park: Notch Trail and its Famous Ladder
• An Easy Guide to Hiking Mosaic Canyon in Death Valley

Pin this post for later!

Visiting Albuquerque?