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Rising 200 feet above the valley floor, this massive sandstone bluff was a landmark for weary travelers. A reliable waterhole hidden at its base made El Morro (or Inscription Rock) a popular campsite for Native Americans, the Spanish during the 1600s and 1700s, and later, American settlers.
While they rested in its shade and drank from the pool, many carved their signatures, dates, and messages. Before the Spanish, petroglyphs were inscribed by Ancestral Puebloans living on top of the bluff more than 700 years ago.
Today, El Morro National Monument protects more than 2,000 inscriptions and petroglyphs, as well as Ancestral Puebloan ruins.
In additon to its historic features, the monument's 1,278 acres offers excellent birdwatching, hiking and camping.
Inscription Trail is a half-mile, paved, loop trail. It is wheelchair accessible with assistance.
The Mesa Top Trail is available to those who have at least 90 minutes to hike, and lots of energy. Hikers continue past the inscriptions and up to the top of the mesa. There, they are rewarded with spectacular views of the Zuni Mountains, the volcanic craters of the El Malpais area, and the El Morro valley.
The Mesa Top Trail covers two miles, and includes the Inscription Trail. A 250-foot elevation gain and the uneven sandstone surface makes this a moderately strenuous hike. Sturdy walking shoes and water, particularly during the hot summer months, are necessary.
Portions or all of the Mesa Top Trail can close due to severe weather, especially during the winter.
Another reward for hiking the Mesa Top Trail is the Ancestral Puebloan ruin, Atsinna, or "place of writings on rock." Between 1275 to 1350 AD, up to 1,500 people lived in this 875-room pueblo. The location was strategic as it was near the only water source for many miles, and located atop a nearly impenetrable mesa.
Atsinna was partially excavated in the 1950s, and archeologists continue to work towards its stabilization.
Outdoor Activities |
Ancestral Puebloans lived on top of the bluff more than 700 years ago.
A sample of the 2,000 inscriptions at the monument.
The peak offered refuge and water to centuries of travelers.
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