Long before the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was founded as a Spanish-Colonial outpost in the early 1700s, native peoples inhabited the dark basalt canyons in the shadow of the volcanoes known as the Three Sisters, and considered them sacred places of worship. While the area appears to be a barren wasteland, the land is rich with medicinal and edible plants.The first inhabitants left a record of their passing in thousands of petroglyphs carved into the volcanic rock. The area encompassing the petroglyphs is now known as Petroglyph National Monument. When visiting the monument, get the most from your visit by packing a few extra items in addition to sunscreen and water.
Trails at the national monument are on natural surfaces and may be uneven, steep or narrow. The Petroglyph National Monument website suggest wearing shoes with ankle support, such as hiking boots, to prevent twisting an ankle or going down with a misstep. High-ankled footwear can also help protect you from a bite from a rattlesnake, which are common in the area. Soles should be thick enough to prevent stickers, cactus spines or sharp rocks from penetrating and stabbing your foot. Treaded soles will prevent slipping on slick or gravelly surfaces. Closed toes can also be helpful, to prevent you from stubbing your toe on uneven surfaces as you move between the petroglyphs.
You can walk your dog as you hike volcanic loops near the Three Sisters volcanoes or explore the Petroglyphs of Rinconada or Piedra Marcadas canyons. With the exception of Boca Negra Canyon and the park's public buildings, dogs are welcome, provided they are on a 6-foot leash and stay on designated trails. Keep your dog close to make sure it does not dig into animal burrows, chase birds or other wildlife, or damage plant life. Bring along bags to pick up your pet's feces, and dispose of them in a waste can. Federal law requires you to keep your pet leashed in a national monument, not allow it to disturb wildlife, and not leave its waste behind.
With more than 25,000 petroglyphs at the national monument, you'll find plenty of things at which to snap your shutter. In addition to the ancient artwork, the surrounding areas offer scenic vistas of the Three Sisters Volcanos. From March through May you'll see desert cactus dress in showy blooms of vibrant color. Other desert plants wait until late summer or early autumn to bloom. You're free to use your camera or video recorder anywhere in the park. Commercial photographers using a model or set must obtain a special use permit from the rangers station.
You won't want to leave your cell phone behind when visiting the Petroglyphs Naitonal Monument. While strolling around the park, you'll see signs for "Park Ranger Audio Tour." Dial the automated tour phone number, 505-353-3004, and enter the number of the site you are at. If you have a smart phone, the tour will send you a message with a link that can alert you when you are near points of interest. The link also offers a visual overview of the tour segments, an interactive map and links to more information.