New Mexico · National Monument trail

Piedras Marcadas Canyon Petroglyph Viewing Trail Stop 6

in New Mexico · centroid 8 mi from Albuquerque

This is Stop 6, the second to last audio tour stop along the Petroglyph Viewing Trail in Piedras Marcadas Canyon. You have hiked approximately 1 mile, or 1.6 kilometers. Piedras Marcadas Canyon is home to an estimated 5,000 documented images; however, you can expect to see up to 400 images along the trail system.

While some designs are isolated on boulders, others are clustered in what archaeologists call “panels,” a group of images on the same face of a single boulder. On this panel you can see bird and snake images, in addition to human-like figures. You may notice some of these panels are damaged by bullet scars, graffiti, and other vandalization.

Once damaged, petroglyphs are impossible to repair and forever destroyed by these disrespectful acts. You can help Indigenous communities in preserving the symbols of their ancestors by staying on marked trails, not touching petroglyphs, by not conducting acts of vandalism, and respecting the living cultural landscape you are visiting. Continue 100 yards, or .09 kilometers to Stop 7, the last stop of this audio tour.

States: New Mexico
Trail type: National Monument trail
Centroid nearest city: Albuquerque, NM · 8 mi · ~15 min drive
Centroid coords: 35.1870°, -106.6964°

About Petroglyph National Monument

National Monument

This trail is inside Petroglyph National Monument, a national monument managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/piedras-marcadas-canyon-petroglyph-viewing-trail-stop-6.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/petr/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Piedras Marcadas Canyon Petroglyph Viewing Trail Stop 6 and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Stay nearby

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Driving in? The nearest documented metro is Albuquerque, NM — 8 miles away (~15 min drive). See accommodation in Albuquerque on Booking.com → RoamFound earns a small commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you. How we handle affiliate links.