Petroglyph National Monument
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.
Alerts
- CautionBe City Smart: Take precautions to secure your vehicle and valuables.
This is an urban park. Don't hide valuables inside your car. Carry items with you on hike. Lock your vehicle and set car alarm. Report suspicious persons loitering/peeking in cars. Call 928-638-7805
- InformationNPS ↗Attention Visitors, Cab drivers, Uber drivers, and transportation service drivers
DO NOT drop off your passengers at the visitor center. No trail access. Visitors must be driven to a trail system from the visitor center. If passengers want to go to the visitor center, WAIT FOR THEM in the parking lot until they come back out.
- InformationBicycle Use In The Monument
Bicycles are ONLY allowed at the following locations: 1 - On the Boca Negra Canyon paved multiuse path; bicycles must remain on the paved bike path. 2 - On the crusher fine trail that winds in and out of the park around the mesa top above Boca Negra.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedLower Kirtland Rx
18 mi from the park's reference point
Within 50 miles, as of 2026-10-14. Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Check the park's alerts and the managing office before you drive.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Boca Negra Canyon | Daily · 8:30AM - 4:30PM |
| Rinconada Canyon | Daily · 8:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Piedras Marcadas Canyon | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
| Volcanoes Day Use Area | Daily · 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
Boca Negra Canyon: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 8:30AM - 4:30PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day Closure | Hours not published |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day Closure | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day Closure | Closed |
Rinconada Canyon: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 8:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Rinconada Canyon Parking Lot closed on Thanksgiving Day | Hours not published |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day Closure | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day Closure | Closed |
Volcanoes Day Use Area: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow | 9:00AM - 5:00PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Volcanoes Day Use Area Parking Lot Closed on Thanksgiving Day | Hours not published |
When to go
October draws the most visits here and August the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Petroglyph Information CenterPassport stamp
Park information only. There are no hiking trails at the visitor information center. The Information Center is open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm daily. It is located at the intersection of Unser Blvd. NW and Western Trail. From Interstate 40, take the Unser Blvd. exit (#154) and proceed north for 3 miles.
Explore
Things to do
- Picnicking at Petroglyph National Monument1-3 Hours
Locations of picnic areas in Petroglyph National Monument.
Opens on the Park Service site - Boca Negra Canyon5-60 Minutes
Visiting Boca Negra Canyon.
Opens on the Park Service site - Piedras Marcadas Canyon1-2 Hours
Details about the Piedras Marcadas Canyon trail.
Opens on the Park Service site - WNPA Park Store
Details about the WNPA park store.
Opens on the Park Service site - Junior and Senior Ranger Programs1-4 Hours
Details about the Petroglyph National Monument Junior and Senior Ranger programs.
Opens on the Park Service site - Volcanoes Day Use Area1-4 Hours
Details about the Volcanoes Day Use Area.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 7Hide
- Rinconada Canyon90-120 Minutes
Details about the hike in Rinconada Canyon.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Guided Hike: Rinconada Canyon10/1709:00 AM · freeThe Rinconada Canyon trailhead is located at 3701 Unser Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120.
- Spanish Broom Flamenco Performance10/1702:00 PM · freeThe Petroglyph National Monument Visitor Information Center is located at 6510 Western Trail NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120.
- Guided Hike: Piedras Marcadas Canyon10/2204:00 PM · runs through Oct 29 · freeThe Piedras Marcadas Canyon trailhead is located at 9421 Jill Patricia St NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114.
- Author Talk: Haunted New Mexico By Christine Rogel10/2402:00 PM · freeThis talk will take place at the Visitor Information Center located at 6510 Western Trail NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for Petroglyph National Monument and New Mexico's national parks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthGreater Roadrunner 19× · Western Screech-Owl 11× · Great Horned Owl 10× · North American Porcupine 9× · Coyote 7× · Belted Kingfisher 3× · American Black Bear 2× · Osprey 2×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 117 birds, 54 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Burrowing Owl · Cooper's Hawk · Ferruginous Hawk · Golden Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Hen Harrier · Long-eared Owl · Merlin · Osprey · Prairie Falcon · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Short-eared Owl · Swainson's Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersSandhill Crane
Shorebirds & seabirdsKilldeer
Gamebirds & dovesCommon Pigeon · Gambel's Quail · Mourning Dove · Scaled Quail · White-winged Dove
WoodpeckersLadder-backed Woodpecker · Northern Flicker
Hummingbirds & swiftsBlack-chinned Hummingbird · Broad-tailed Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · White-throated Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Bushtit · American Cliff Swallow · American Crow · American Dusky Flycatcher · American Goldfinch · American Grey Flycatcher · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Barn Swallow · Bendire's Thrasher · Bewick's Wren · Black-headed Grosbeak · Black-throated Sparrow · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Brewer's Blackbird · Brewer's Sparrow · Brown Towhee · Brown-headed Cowbird · Bullock's Oriole · Cactus Wren · California Scrub Jay · Canyon Wren · Cassin's Finch · Cassin's Kingbird · Cassin's Sparrow · Chestnut-collared Longspur · Chihuahuan Raven · Chipping Sparrow · Clay-colored Sparrow · Common Nighthawk · Common Poorwill · Common Starling · Common Yellowthroat · Crissal Thrasher · Curve-billed Thrasher · Dark-eyed Junco · Eastern Meadowlark · Field Sparrow · Greater Roadrunner · Green-tailed Towhee · Hepatic Tanager · Hermit Thrush · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Lark Bunting · Lark Sparrow · Lazuli Bunting · Lesser Goldfinch · Lincoln's Sparrow · Loggerhead Shrike · Mallard · Mountain Bluebird · Mountain Chickadee · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Raven · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Pine Siskin · Pinyon Jay · Plumbeous Vireo · Red Crossbill · Red-winged Blackbird · Rock Wren · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Rufous-crowned Sparrow · Sage Sparrow · Sage Thrasher · Sand Martin · Say's Phoebe · Scott's Oriole · Song Sparrow · Spotted Towhee · Summer Tanager · Townsend's Solitaire · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Tanager · Western Wood Pewee · White-crowned Sparrow · White-throated Sparrow · Willow Flycatcher
Small mammalsAudubon's Cottontail · Banner-tailed Kangaroo Rat · Black-tailed Jack Rabbit · Botta's Pocket Gopher · Cactus Deermouse · Crawford's Gray Shrew · Deer Mouse · Eastern Cottontail · House Mouse · Merriam's Kangaroo Rat · Northern Grasshopper Mouse · Northern Rock Deermouse · Ord's Kangaroo Rat · Piñon Deermouse · Plains Harvest Mouse · Plains Pocket Mouse · Rock Pocket Mouse · Rock Squirrel · Silky Pocket Mouse · Southern Plains Woodrat · Spotted Ground Squirrel · Western Harvest Mouse · White-footed Deermouse · White-tailed Antelope Squirrel · White-throated Woodrat · common porcupine
PredatorsAmerican Badger · American Black Bear · Bobcat · Common Gray Fox · Coyote · Long-tailed Weasel · Striped Skunk · Western Spotted Skunk
Hoofed mammalsMule Deer · Pronghorn
BatsBig Brown Bat · Big Free-tailed Bat · Black Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · California Myotis · Fringed Myotis · Hoary Bat · Little Brown Bat · Long-eared Myotis · Long-legged Myotis · Pallid Bat · Pinto Bat · Small-footed Myotis · Western Pipistrelle · Yuma Myotis · mule-eared bat
Also on the checklistCaucasian wildcat · domestic dog
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Weather & climate
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.
Questions people ask
Does Petroglyph charge an entrance fee?
No. Petroglyph is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Petroglyph?
Standard hours are 8:30AM - 4:30PM, every day. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Petroglyph?
The Park Service lists no campgrounds inside Petroglyph.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at Petroglyph right now?
3 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Be City Smart: Take precautions to secure your vehicle and valuables; Attention Visitors, Cab drivers, Uber drivers, and transportation service drivers; and more.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Petroglyph?
310,672 recreation visits in 2025, number 149 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Petroglyph?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and T-Mobile 5G. No reported coverage for AT&T. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
When was Petroglyph established?
1990. It covers about 11 square miles.
Source: Wikipedia
What is the weather like at Petroglyph?
Altitude approx. 5000 ft.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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