Petroglyph National Monument is located just a few miles northwest of Albuquerque, NM. To get there, go to I-40 exit number 154. This is called highway 345 and Unser Blvd. Head north.

The park has three areas to visit. All are on the left/west side of Unser Blvd. Just under three miles north of I-40 is the visitor center. Go there first to get a map of the park. The other two places are: (1) Boca Negra Canyon which is about seven miles north of I-40. You must pay an entrance fee here. (2) Rinconada Canyon is the other site to visit. It is about two miles north of I-40. No entrance fee is required here.

Boca Negra Canyon is a fairly short walking trip. The paths are mostly paved but some are sand. Some of the paths are steep climbs up the sides of (what do I call them?) mini-mountains or really big hills. On the Mesa Point trail, you get an incredible view looking east at Albuquerque and the Sandia Mountains behind the city. Most of the petroglyphs in Boca Negra Canyon are clearly marked with a small sign.

Rinconada Canyon is a longer walking trip (three miles round trip). All paths are either sand or just the desert floor. Only the main walking trail is marked here. You have to look at every rock (and there are thousands!) to find the 500 or so that have petroglyphs. However, the petroglyphs in Rinconada are better than the ones in Boca Negra.