Petroglyph National Monument protects one of the largest petroglyph sites in North America, featuring designs and symbols carved onto volcanic rocks by Native Americans and Spanish settlers 400 to 700 years ago. These images are a valuable record of cultural expression and hold profound spiritual significance for contemporary Native Americans and for the descendants of the early Spanish settlers.
Handprint petroglyphs in Piedras Marcadas Canyon
Handprints and other petroglyphs on boulders at Piedras Marcadas.
Hawk petroglyph at Mesa Prieta
A petroglyph of a hawk at Mesa Prieta. It can be visited from the South Point trailhead.
Desert mammal petroglyph
Petroglyph of a small mammal along the Mesa Point Trail in Boca Negra Canyon.
Macaw petroglyph
Petroglyph of a macaw parrot along the Macaw Trail in Boca Negra Canyon.
Coyote and rattlesnake petroglyphs in Rinconada Canyon
Petroglyph imagery of a coyote and rattlesnake in Rinconada Canyon.
Petroglyph of grazing sheep in Rinconada Canyon
Petroglyph panel of sheep grazing in Rinconada Canyon.
Snow Dusted Cinder Cones
Winter scene of snow covered cinder cones at the Volcanoes Day Use Area.
Coyote and rattlesnake petroglyphs
These petroglyphs could possibly depict a coyote and a rattlesnake, two of the more commonly seen animals at the monument.
Bird Petroglyph
A petroglyph of a bird at Rinconada Canyon.
Bird and Footprint Petroglyphs
Petroglyphs of a bird and a footprint at Piedras Marcadas Canyon.
The Volcanoes of Petroglyph
A line of cinder cone volcanoes at the Volcanoes Day Use Area.
