El Morro National Monument

The El Morro National Monument spans a total area of 1,279 acres of land that is located approximately 125 miles west of Albuquerque, in Cibola County, which in turn is in the state of New Mexico. The El Morro National Monument was proclaimed on December 8, 1906, and is managed by the National Park Service. 

To access the park, visitors can use two main routes. One route is to follow the I-40 at Grants for about 42 miles and then turn and go southwest on NM 53. The other direction you can follow is to again drive along the I-40 then at Gallup proceed for about 56 miles before turning south on NM 602 and then again east on NM 53 through Ramah.

Once visitors get to the park, they will find that there are a lot of features to marvel at. For example, the park has a rich history since it is the ancestral home of Puebloans who settled on the mesa top over 700 years ago. Secondly, and more recently, Spanish and American travelers who came to the area rested, explored, and carved their signatures, dates, and messages in the area for hundreds of years. 

As such, the national monument protects ancestral Puebloan ruins, and over 2,000 petroglyphs and inscriptions. Besides this rich historical culture, the park also hosts a wide variety of everyday recreational activities for visitors to enjoy. For example, the park offers camping and hiking and has several amenities that guests to the park can enjoy including campgrounds, museum/exhibit, visitor center, restrooms, picnic area, and self-guided trails.

Dogs are permitted into the El Morro National Monument, but like other parks, some restrictions could curtail the dog owners experience of the park in its entirety. For example, dogs are not allowed into the visitor center or into other park buildings. Additionally, dogs must always be kept on a leash in all areas of the park that they can access.