Petroglyphs? Not so much...

Copyright  ~1300

Friday, April 18

We had lunch in Albuquerque and the decided to go see the petroglyphs at Petroglyphs National Monument on the west side of the city.

This was a very disappointing, and in some ways, disturbing place.

First: Not much of a park. Just a visitors center, a couple of parking lots and some very short trails through basalt boulders, some with actual petroglyphs. Some with...well you decide. Do you think the residents of 700 years ago carved smiley faces?

Second: Albuquerque's sprawl has bumped up right against the borders of this public land.
How close? Here's the view toward the city:

I climbed to the top of one of the mesas hoping for a great view of the mountains to the west. What did I see? Street lights and plumbing pipes for a new subdivision, all at eye level.



My old guidebook gave details about bike trails and long hiking trails through the desert. Not anymore.