Petroglyph National Monument - Albuquerque, NM Review

A short drive northwest of downtown Albuquerque and west of the Rio Grande River, is the scenic area that is home to Petroglyph National Monument. 

My husband and I first stopped at the visitor center so that we could decide which hiking trail we wanted to take.  The staff was very friendly and explained the area in great detail.  We obtained a brochure and discovered that archeologists estimate that most of the petroglyphs were made 400 to 700 years ago and that some of the images may be 3,000 years old!    

After arriving at our chosen hiking spot, I was excited at the prospect of climbing among the petroglyphs until I saw the rattlesnake warning sign (ewww!).  I enjoy being outdoors but the thought of endangering my life made me hesitate for a moment and re-think my petroglyph hiking plan.  Then I asked myself "what was I thinking?"  This could be my once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see something that many people only dream about.  So I trekked on to the Boca Negra Canyon section of Petroglyph National Monument.  I wasn't disappointed.

The hike was easy even though I wasn't wearing the best shoes for the sometimes unstable ground.  The petroglyphs were easy to locate and fun to try to decipher.  The area was much smaller than I anticipated but the scenery was beautiful and there were plenty of opportunities for taking great pictures.  My husband and I really enjoy scenic views so we were excited to get to the top of the hill where we were rewarded with a nice view of, ta da, new subdivisions.  Yes it was disappointing to see so much build up by such a beautiful and historic site, but that is the reality now.    

Boca Negra Canyon is two miles north of the visitor center and has restrooms, water, and picnic tables available.  Hiking times range from a quick five minutes to 30 minutes or more.  No pets are allowed and a nominal parking fee is charged by the City of Albuquerque.  This is the easiest hiking area and most-visited of Petroglyph National Monument.  It's well worth the stop, rattlesnakes and all.