Petroglyph National Monument

Amid undulating hills and volcanic rocks that rise and dip along New Mexico's West Mesa, nearly 15,000 ancient rock drawings serve as testament to a rich Native American and Spanish history. This 7,100-acre (2873-hectare) monument, deemed to be one of North America's most significant petroglyph sites, contains some of the nation's largest natural displays of prehistoric artwork. The drawings date back to a time when Anasazi nomadic hunters etched various drawings and messages onto the black basalt boulders of the escarpment just west of the Rio Grande. It also includes historic etchings of Spanish settlers who roamed these lands nearly 700 years ago. Together, these priceless drawings serve as indelible vestiges of cultures that once influenced and breathed life into these landscapes. Both an adventurous and education experience, visitors to the monument can take a ranger-guided tour that can last up to two hours or explore various trails on their own.