New Mexico, Tetilla Peak, Petroglyph National Monument

The Petroglyph National Monument, just outside Albuquerque, 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.

 Most of the petroglyphs were made using a technique called “pecking”. The nps.gov site tells us “an early method of pecking may have been accomplished by striking the basalt boulder directly with a hammerstone removing the dark, desert varnish on the boulder's surface. Later, a more controlled execution was developed by using two stones, in much the way a chisel is used, to peck boulders. This “hammer and chisel” method gave petroglyph makers the ability to peck images with detail.”

Our trip to the Petroglyph National Monument was rushed, as we spotted the signs for it while we were doing errands in Albuquerque and hadn’t put the backpack and water bottles in the truck. None-the-less, it was quite an experience, seeing designs and symbols carved onto volcanic 400 to 700 years agok.  It was too hot for Rich and I only did a couple of short loops, so didn’t see too much, but I’d like to go back sometime when we’re prepared and take our time going around.


There are three different areas which you drive to, then get out and walk trails to the drawings. One of the areas has over 100 petroglyphs and we could easily spend four or five hours here.









You notice me walking with my head down - that was because there were signs all over warning about rattlesnakes and I didn't want to take a chance.