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Volcanoes & Petroglyphs, Albuquerque
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you can't write this way on email! - Albuquerque
you can't write this way on email!
by ellielou
Things to Do in Albuquerque: Volcanoes & Petroglyphs tips and photos posted by real travelers and Albuquerque locals.
Volcanoes & Petroglyphs
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Albuquerque Volcanoes & Petroglyphs ReviewsTips 1 - 10 of 18  
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Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: Petroglyph National Monument - Boca Negra Canyon
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  • By kymbanm on April 22, 2005
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  • Boca Negra Canyon - Albuquerque
    Boca Negra Canyon
    by kymbanm
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    Boca Negra Canyon has 3 trailheads and a nice picnic area ... it's also close enough to a major intersection that it is easy to get to and to get 'stuff' afterwards - or to pick up your picnic gear :) Macaw Trail, Cliff Base Trail and Mesa Point trails are all short - less than an hour each and along each route are various petroglyphs and display stands which provide information on the 'glyphs, as well as local flora and fauna. About 1/4 mile north of Boca Negra is the entrance to the upper Canyon where there are less tended paths/trails and you can still view amazing petroglyphs. BTW- feel free to pick up a Boca Negra Trail Guide for 75cents from the visitor center you'll pass on the way to the canyon. It provides information on local critters, the 'glyphs, as well as the trails themselves. It's only $1 to park there for the day.

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  • Address: ~5 miles north of I-40, north on Unser.
  • Phone: 505-899-0205
  • Directions: Take I-40, exit #154 (Unser) to the North. ~3 miles down on the left is the entrance to the visitor center. And additional 2 miles North on Unser and on the right is the Boca Negra Canyon parking lot.

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: Petroglyph National Monument-Cliff Base Trail
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  • Updated By kymbanm on September 18, 2005
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  • Cliff Base Trail 'glyps - Albuquerque
    Cliff Base Trail 'glyps
    by kymbanm
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    Cliff Base Trail is the second shortest trailhead at Boca Negra Canyon. If you wander just the main part of the trail, you'll only need about 15-20 minutes to walk this route. If you take the short detours along the way - give yourself about 30-40 minutes. The interesting sites along this trail include the contrast between old and new petroglyphs, as well as grafitti left behind from more modern visitors. The patina of the 'glyphs vary depending on the age: the older / authentic petroglyphs have a light brown coloration, while the vandalism is lighter and grey in color. (if you click on the pic to enlarge it, you can see the petroglyphs and an area of vandalism in the center of the star ....) There are 2 small cave-like areas on the path where large volcanic boulders sit atop one another in a manner to create small indentations and much appreciated shade.

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  • Address: ~5 miles from I-40 on Unser
  • Phone: 505-899-0205
  • Directions: Take I-40, exit #154 (Unser) to the North. ~3 miles down on the left is the entrance to the visitor center. And additional 2 miles North on Unser and on the right is the Boca Negra Canyon parking lot.

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: Petroglyph National Monument-Macaw Trail
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  • Updated By kymbanm on April 22, 2005
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  • Macaw Trail Petroglyphs - Albuquerque
    Macaw Trail Petroglyphs
    by kymbanm
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    The macaw trail is the shortest trailhead at Boca Negra Canyon. It's less than a 15 minute walk around a short loop. There are some very nice petroglyphs along this loop - including the macaws .... trade w/ Mexico was important to the local natives who prized macaw feathers for ceremonial purposes. Please be smarter than I was ..... DON'T WEAR STUPID SHOES!!!!! I wore birkenstocks, and though the trail is an easy one - the lack of tread led to a slip and slide event that could have been prevented by thinking about the day's activities BEFORE leaving the house :)

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  • Address: Unser NW ~ 2 miles north of the Visitor Center
  • Phone: 505-899-0205
  • Directions: Take I-40, exit #154 (Unser) to the North. ~3 miles down on the left is the entrance to the visitor center. And additional 2 miles North on Unser and on the right is the Boca Negra Canyon parking lot.

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: Petroglyphs
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  • By ellielou on August 13, 2004
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  • you can't write this way on email! - Albuquerque
    you can't write this way on
    email!
    by ellielou
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    When you're surrounded by strip malls and cookie cutter suburban development, it's great to realize that ABQ has not alwyas been like that. That there were Native People who settled in the Rio Grande valley and had a written language that didn't involve an alphabet. And, what's great about this place, at least for me, is that it's outdoors, but you don't have to do any strenuous hiking--that is, if you don't want to--to see any of the petroglyphs, although the Park Ranger did say the best were found by an uphill hike. Oh, well. Maybe next time!

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  • Directions: Just off of I-40
  • Website: http://www.nps.gov/petr/

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: The Petroglyphs--see 'em now
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  • Updated By MountainLaurel on August 13, 2005
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  • See Hello Kitty? - Albuquerque
    See Hello Kitty?
    by MountainLaurel
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    Petroglyph National Monument is one of the first places I went in ABQ. Wear sturdy shoes and in summer go in the morning when it's cooler. You can take a well-marked, well-worn path that's about a mile long, and not only has lots of petroglyphs but a great photo-op for views of the city against the mountains; or you can be more adventurous and just ramble and see what you can find. In the picture, there are two petroglyphs off to one side, and one right in the middle of the photograph that (to me) looks like Hello Kitty. In the background, you can see the volcanoes--extinct of course!

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  • Address: West Mesa
  • Directions: From the city, head west on I-40, then take the Coors Blvd exit and go north on Coors. There'll be signs.
  • Website: http://www.nps.gov/petr/

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: Petroglyph National Monument
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  • Updated By dacrites on October 9, 2002
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  • NPS photo..from website - Albuquerque
    NPS photo..from website
    by dacrites
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    Features the most impressive collections of Indian and Hispanic petroglyphs dating from 1300 AD. More than 15,000 fascinating ancient Indian rock drawings can be seen on the 17-mile long West Mesa escarpment.

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  • Address: 6001 Unser Blvd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87120
  • Phone: 505-899-0205
  • Directions: Watch for signs off of I-40 heading west of ABQ, towards Gallup.
  • Website: http://www.nps.gov/petr/

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: a highlight of albuquerque
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  • By bocmaxima on March 22, 2006
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  • Volcanoes & Petroglyphs - Albuquerque
    by bocmaxima, 4 more photos
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    The great thing about Petroglyphs National Monument is that it is REALLY close to the city, and only about a 15 minute drive from Downtown. The admission is only a $2 parking fee ($1 on weekdays), and it provides access to some wonderful petroglyphs scattered on lava rocks towering above the valley. Off to the west you can also see the cones of the ancient volcanoes that originally spread the rocks here, which accessible via unpaved road. There are three sites scattered around the monument, the best and most popular being Boca Negra Canyon. You'll be able to see the most petroglyphs here. Get a map/guide at the visitor's center on Unser Boulevard, or print one out online before going.

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  • Directions: Unser Boulevard about 7 miles north of I-40
  • Website: http://www.nps.gov/petr/

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: Petroglyph national monument
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  • Updated By illudiumqh36 on February 10, 2005
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  • Volcanoes & Petroglyphs - Albuquerque
    by illudiumqh36
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    Petroglyph national monument is located on the west side ot the city. The park lay over a mesa of volcanic land for 17 miles. Native peoples carved in those basaltic lava rocks over 25,000 images representing animals, people, brands and crosses. The five estinguished volcanoes of Albuquerque rise up from this rocky plateau

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: Petroglyph National Monument
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  • By Jim_Eliason on October 18, 2003
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  • Petroglyph National Mom Visitor's Center - Albuquerque
    Petroglyph National Mom
    Visitor's Center
    by Jim_Eliason
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    Ths area consists of 2 main canyons covered with Native American Petroglyphs

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  • Directions: Just West of Town on Unser Boulvard

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    Volcanoes & Petroglyphs: Petroglyph National Monument
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  • Updated By MarkJochim on April 2, 2003
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  • Petroglyphs (Mark Jochim, May 1994) - Albuquerque
    Petroglyphs (Mark Jochim, May
    1994)
    by MarkJochim
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    For centuries, Native Americans camped at the base of Albuquerque's West Mesa, chipping and scraping designs into the volcanic rock. This National Monument contains more than 15,000 ancient rock drawings (petroglyphs) inscribed on the 17-mile long escarpment overlooking the Rio Grande Valley. OPEN: Daily 8-5 ADMISSION: weekdays, $1.00; weekends, $2.00

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  • Address: 4735 Unser Blvd. N.W.
  • Phone: (505) 899-0205
  • Directions: take Interstate 40 west from central Albuquerque to the NM Highway 448/Coors Road exit (west of the river); take a right (north) to Western Trail Road; turn left (west); follow signs to Visitor Center
  • Website: www.nps.gov/petr/

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