While at the Petroglyph National Monument in May 2015, we drove to the Boca Negra Canyon section and I hiked up the quarter-mile Mesa Point Trail to view dozens of petroglyphs. I was also rewarded with an overview of three volcanoes to the west and Albuquerque to the east. The trail climbs about 120 feet, but with the base elevation of over 5000 feet, it is rated as moderate. There are two more trails in the Boca Negra Canyon area and additional trails around the volcanoes. If you want to see the entire monument, plan on a full day or more of outdoor activities.
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| Benches near the parking area |
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| The trail starts at this small bridge |
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| The trail climbs to the top of the mesa |
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| The trail surface is mostly asphalt |
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| A few handrails have been installed on the steeper sections |
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| Lizard |
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| Arrows keep visitors on the trail |
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| A series of switchbacks lead to this view of the parking area |
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| Suburbia extends to the edge of the monument |
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| The edge of the mesa is fairly steep |
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| JA, Black and Vulcan Volcanoes |
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| Albuquerque |
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| Sandia Mountains |
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| Foundation stones atop the mesa |
An entry fee is not collected at Petroglyph national Monument. However, a parking fee of $1 per weekday or $2 per weekend day is collected at Boca Negra Canyon as this is a co-managed area with the City of Albuquerque. This fee is waived with a valid America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands pass including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($10 for lifetime), Access Pass (free with documented disability) and Military Annual Pass (free for active duty personnel).
The park website is http://www.nps.gov/petr/index.htm.
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