Wonderful park with a 2 mile scenic scenic loop trail taking you by inscriptions in the rock dating back to the 1800's. read more

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El Morro is an unexpected and therefore under visited national park site. Because of this, it is even more worth the visit. Well off the modern beaten path, it was much less so over 150 years ago. Travelers of all kinds "pasó por aqui" (passed through here), leaving inscriptions on the rock face while seeking refuge from the harsh desert environment. The water pool oasis at the base of the jutting rock face fills only from precipitation and never dries. It's been a waypoint for at least a millennium. If you are less inclined to the post-colonial history, you'll still be happy to visit here. Pueblo dwelling walls of stone still remain just beside the Headland/Mesa Top Trail that takes you up to the top of this landmark for a high view over the surrounding plains and even down into the so-called Box Canyon. The original carvings in the sandstone predate settlers as petroglyphs featuring animals that once roamed here. The visitor center is very informative with friendly staff, a small museum, and a short film about site history. Naturally, a gift shop seals the deal with plenty of gifts and books to send or carry back home. With no fee entry, it's absolutely worth a step off the beaten path to "pass through here". read more

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Beautiful in the fall,El Morro National Monument in the southwestern area of The United States of America is a national monument located in Ramaw New Mexico.Managed by The National Park Service El Morro was designated a national monument by President Theodore Roosevelt on December 8, 1906.El Morro is also an International Dark Sky Area. Ph by Wayne Salvatti . . . . #elmorro #elmorronationalmonument #fallcolors #southwest #ilovenewmexico #nationalparkservice #pueblo #trailsofthesouthwest #theodoreroosevelt #usa #nationalparks #trees #chapparal #sunset #zuni #kokopelli #nativeamerican #route66 #visitnewmexico #unitedstatesdepartmentoftheinterior #godisgood #ilovethesouthwest #internationaldarkskypark read more

El Morro National Monument - El Morro National Monument Ramah, New Mexico - Hiking Near Me - Ramah, New Mexico

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I expect a lot of people on longer drives consider stopping by, and most don't. I finally had a little extra time in my route this trip and decided to swing by. We saw online that the hours started at 9, but we thought we'd be able to hike early because we didn't need the visitor center for anything. We waited outside the gate from 8:15 until a few minutes after 9am, what hung several apparently staff cars driving in, and they finally got around to opening the gate a few minutes after 9am. We did the headlands hike, which they said was about 2.2 miles, and that sounds about right. They say it takes 2 hours and we did it in about 52 minutes including time to stop and read every sign. You can catch the inscription loop at the end of the headlands hike. The inscriptions are mostly non-indigenous people writing their names and the date, along the lines of "so and so was here," with a few petroglyphs here and there. There's a little pool in a corner at the base that never dries up and explains why so many people made their way here. There's a brick building foundation at the top that I think the sign said was built in the 1200-1400 CE range. I think for the headlands hike you do about 400 feet of ascent, with a lot of carved and cement stairs. The trail in the rocks can be tricky because in some places you're looking for parallel scratches in the rock, like tracks. There's plenty of parking. There's no water station outside, and maybe there's one inside, but they had the doors closed during COVID. They said the only way to fill up on water was in the bathroom sink, but that water was fine to drink. read more

I was so glad we made the drive from Gallup to the El Morro National Monument. The views were vast and impressive and the history of the inscriptions was fantastic. We did the full hike to the rim as well as the Inscription Trail. It was a perfect day with a bit of cloud cover and mild temperatures, but I would recommend bringing water to drink. There is no fee to enjoy the monument, and the Rangers were very friendly and helpful. They gave us a self-guided tour booklet to lead us through the inscriptions with dates and explanations. I would highly recommend this for a great day outing. read more

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Following three visits to this little oasis in the middle of the high desert, I've finally figured it out: this is America's Social Media Monument. It is. In case you figured the whole "Look at me and my perfect tan, sitting here on the beach in Cancun" phenomenon was a generational thing, not. Turns out, this Like Me urge extends back to our ancestors, and at El Morro you'll find a feed frozen in time, going back some 800 years, maybe more: literally, a wall of postings from Puebloans, conquistadores, Army soldiers and, likely, more than a few trolls. #pricklypearteablows #enchantedmyass #wheresthesaloon #kokopelliismyhomeboy The place isn't a one-trick pony; you can spend a few good hours here, the hike to the abandoned pueblo overlooking the bluff is well worth the trek, I believe there's about four miles of moderate trail to explore (as long as the weather's been temperate; they limit exploration following snow and rain). But the real draw, here, is Inscription Rock, a sandstone talk forum overlooking a natural pool of clear water which offered respite to travelers, horses and marauders. Like an everyday selfie urge, everybody who passed through this place posted -- er, chipped and carved -- their names, dates, and sometimes clever, sometimes downright sloppy drawings upon the wall. But here's where the comparison stops. It's well documented that your modern social feed, seemingly harmless, is basically a vapid black hole of depravity, depression and self-loathing. Inscription Rock, on the other hand, owns a huge Living History vibe, it's educational, dynamic, and entirely worth wasting your Netflix-and-chill time on. read more

Awesome trails and views! Get to see ancient petroglyphs, signatures, ancient ruins, and the VIEWS!!!! Very helpful staff and volunteers. Pretty cool hike and relatively not too hard. read more

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Came to New Mexico in January as an intern at a local reservation and finally getting a chance to review some of my favorite places! El Morro national monument was such a surprise! The monument was located very close to the place I was staying so I made it out there first! The monument itself was not that crowded on a Sunday which was nice! The visitor center had ample parking and the staff and rangers were very helpful in helping me pick my route! I made it up pretty far up before the remainder of the trail was closed due to snow. The view was amazing at the top and I spent quite a bit of time up there. The trail can get a bit steep and narrow as you go up but it is definitely worth it! As I came down, I passed by the inscriptions and the pond and they were just as beautiful as the view on top! Highly recommend this trail! read more

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Wonderful hiking beautiful area and excellent views. The history is very interesting as well. Knowledge staff and great shopping. Especially books read more

One of the best national monuments out there! A hidden gem in seemingly the "middle of nowhere" New Mexico. Gorgeous canyon views, a moderate hike, and history frozen in time via Inscription Rock. They also have a lovely campsite and area for stargazing. I grew up in this area and El Morro National Monument is a huge piece of my childhood. You don't wanna miss this! read more

This national monument far exceeded my expectations. As per usual, park staff were excellent. The guidebook they lent visitors was extremely helpful. If you have the time and ability, do not skip the long hike. The view from the top is gorgeous and the ruins are worth seeing. read more

El Morro National Monument - Ruins atop the bluffs - Hiking Near Me - Ramah, New Mexico

The Rangers at El Morro National Monument we're incredibly helpful and it had a very nice Visitor Center. The half-mile loop was very manageable for people of all levels and I recommend everybody do this read more

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I've visited EMNM at least five times and it's is second only to Acoma's Sky City in my book. I learn something new each visit. Wonderful geology, with sandstone bluffs looming over the grassy wooded valley. The inscriptions on the bluff record interesting historic processes, most notably the travels of Spanish officials on their way to or from the Pueblos before and after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. The top of the bluff is fun to hike and you can see some spots where evidence of ancient oceans is obvious, with sandy layers between solid rock layers. The box canyon, visible only from the top, is super cool. The campground is quiet and since there are only 9 spaces, it is very private. We camped the last weekend in April and were glad we arrived fairly early on a Friday afternoon because we observed later arrivals that weren't able to get a site. Something to keep in mind if you are planning to camp there. read more

This one is an oldy, but I probably will not be back here any time soon, so it has to be shared with my Yelpy National Park lovers as it is one of the best I've been to. Luckily, I wrote this when it was all fresh in my mind. We visited El Morro National Monument on October 4, 2006 and it was a fantastic visit. El Morro is a Mesa, located about 40 miles south of Grants, New Mexico (off of Highway 40 in the Northwest quadrant of New Mexico). It is administered by the National Parks Service. YES! You can get your National Parks Passport stamped here! The Visitor Center is staffed by knowledgeable park rangers who not only can talk to you about the site and what you'll see there, but they can also tell you about the flora and fauna in the area. The Visitor Center includes a small museum and an audio-visual program about what you will find at El Morro National Monument. What do you find? El Morro has been designed to provide an excellent vantage of the several different unique features. A trail has been made that takes you around the mesa and then up to the top of the mesa and back down. The visitor center provides a free loaner copy of a self guided tour of all that you see. The information includes history and geological information. The first section of the trail is called the "Inscription Rock Trail". It is a relatively easily accessed and paved trail. It would be possible for those in wheelchairs to also access this part of the trail. Inscription Rock Trail follows the base of the sandstone cliffs where travelers have inscribed theiir names, dates, poems, comments etc, from the time of the Spanish settlers, through more modern times when settlers traveled across the country towards California. It is a real piece of history and quite fascinating. Further along the trail around the mesa, you begin climbing up a series of switchbacks until you reach the top. This part of the trail is more strenuous and would not be accessible to those with physical challenges. At the top of the mesa you see inside a box canyon and all around you is beautiful geological formations. As you walk further you will come across ruins of the American Indian people who once lived on the mesa. You also have breathtaking views of the surrounding area. The hike around, up and down the mesa took us about an hour and a half and it was fantastic. This National Monument is well designed, maintained and explained. It is definitely one that you won't want to miss if you are in the area of Highway 40. There are many other wonderful sights around it which makes the general area a destination that you could easily spend a day to a week in exploring. Just 20 miles north of El Morro is El Malpais National Monument, which is also worth visiting, particularly if you enjoy hiking. The main city nearest El Morro is Grants, New Mexico and there are many lodging options available there. Also, do not miss the North West New Mexico visitor center one exit east of Grants where you can get a myriad of information on not only the National Parks in the area, but also just about everything else in North West New Mexico, including historic Route 66 information. Seriously, New Mexico National Parks and Monuments are awesome and this one, in particular is a perfect example of why we are protecting these treasures. read more

Spanish conquistadors were among countless travellers and explorers who discovered this life-saving fresh-water spring that seeped from the ground in a little lush oasis in the middle of the Southwestern desert. This site provided more than water, the ultimate source of life. The rock overhang which sheltered and kept cool the pool of water underneath also provided shelter from the storms which regularly rolled through the area. Most impressive is that when the Spanish conquistadors decided to set up camp, their 'Engineers' began recording the goings-on by carving their records of events directly into the rock under the overhang Believe it or not, these more than 500 year-old writings are not only visible but quite legible to all who care to look at them. What they tell is an amazing account of life as it was, right here, in a time before our nation existed, and in fact before anyone had even bothered to colonize it. Amazing!! read more

El Morro is a very nice National Monument less than an hour from Gallup, NM. Stop by the visitor's center first to pick up a map and a flyer with detailed descriptions of the carved sandstone inscriptions. The inscriptions were left by the Ancient Puebloans, the Spaniards in the 1500s, and Americans from the 1800s and early 1900s. There are two loop trails to complete in the park and you should do both. The Inscription Rock Trail loop is a half mile paved trail and passes the carvings at the base of the cliff. Mesa Top Trail loop is two miles and a steep climb. I remember doing this hike in early March and it was so cold due to the strong winds. Beautiful scenery up top, so check it out! Please don't feed wildlife. read more

Definitely worth the drive, especially if you are already visiting El Malpais. Jennifer S already wrote a fantastic detailed review so I just wanted to add that the two mile hike to the mesa top was unique, fun, and gorgeous! Just know that since the visitor center closes at 5, they stop access to the trail at 3 (as of this writing). The visitor center and trail opens again at 9 am. They have a small 9 site campground at the park, free as of this writing. The campground has no hook-ups but 3 spaces that could fit a small rv or travel trailer. Water is turned off in the winter. read more

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We are from California and are visiting family here in New Mexico.The hike up and around and back down the ElMoro was gorgeous! Our 3 1/2 year old son was such a trooper and hiked the whole thing and we didn't carry him once! The Rangers at the visitor's center had given him a workbook to complete to get his jr. Ranger badge at the end of the hike....hello he's 3! And because he didn't complete the book they wouldn't give him his badge!! After he walked the whole thing and was so proud....he left in tears, heartbroken!! They should be a bit more lenient on smaller children, or make a separate book for them. We are definitely very disappointed!! read more

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We camped at the free campsite that is maintained by the park service. There are only 9 first come/first serve campsites; I would advise to get there relatively early as spots did fill up by 5pm. We arrived at 2pm and had 8 sites to choose from. There are bathrooms and water sources. The view is pretty spectacular as well. The El Morro National Monument is a short drive or bike up the hill. The full 2 mile hike up the Mesa is beautiful and not difficult. Take a ranger book with you for the inscription part of the hike- there's a drop box before your start the unpaved hike. read more

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This is the watering hole used by travelers heading west. Great place to check out. Had one trail easy and another to hike to the top. Petroglyph area, old signatures from Conquistadors to west travelers 1800's read more

El Morro is the only place I know of where you can go see actual dated inscriptions carved into sandstone from the Spanish conquistadors who first explored this region that predate by 15 years the arrival of the Mayflower which docked at Plymouth Rock, MA to bring the pilgrims! But that's only the beginning. There are literally countless well preserved carvings in the sandstone from pioneers who passed through on wagons, railroad surveyors and many more. The waterhole located at the foot of the bluff (which still exists) was one of the only reliable water sources in the area, thus everyone passing through stopped and rested here before travelling on and many left their mark upon the sandstone for all to see. Many of the carvings are quite elaborate and artfully done in fancy script or in block lettering. Some of the names with dates are from famously known people. If you love history and seeing it real and up close you will love this place. I love taking friends who have never been to see the astonishment on their faces. The loop trail which ventures atop the bluff to explore the Indian ruins presents many beautiful vistas for any photographer. The visitor's center museum is interesting and educational and is definitely worthwhile. If you can, take an additional day to also check out Chaco Canyon while in the area. Both places are exquisite and very, very special. read more