Rinconada Canyon

A petroglyph of a bird on a volcanic boulder at Rinconada Canyon.

NPS Photo / Daniel Leifheit

Rinconada Canyon Parking Lot Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily.
Address: 3701 Unser Blvd. NW Albuquerque, NM 87120

Leashed dogs/pets are allowed on this trail. 6-foot maximum leash length. Pet owners must pick up dog waste and carry it out to dispose of properly in trash can. No water available. Be sure to carry enough water for yourself and your pet(s).

Bicycle riding is not allowed on any section of this trail. If you want to ride a bike in the area, we suggest looking up the City of Albuquerque's Paseo de la Mesa trail.

No water.

Vault restroom facility.

Trail Length: 2.2 miles (4km)

Difficulty: easy to moderate

See up to 300 petroglyphs. Binoculars are recommended.

GPS Lat: 35.127 GPS Long: -106.725

Trailhead paved parking lot located at intersection of Unser Blvd NW at St. Joseph Ave.

 

Rinconada Canyon offers an insight into the geologic, cultural, and natural resources of this region. From the parking lot a sandy path follows the northern escarpment, carrying you over sand dunes. As you walk into the canyon, the sounds and sights of the city fade away and may be replaced with the coo of a mourning dove or a collared lizard sunning itself on a basalt boulder. Here you see prehistoric and historic petroglyphs, rock wall alignments and shelters, and wildlife living in the vegetation growing throughout the canyon.

The geology of the area shows the remnants of volcanic eruptions of 200,000 years ago. The basalt from these flows capped the sandstone of the Santa Fe Formation. As the softer sandstone eroded away, the basalt broke off and tumbled down the hillside. This naturally occuring geologic action of weathering and erosion formed the volcanic escarpment as we see it today and is also where the Ancestral Pueblo People carved petroglyphs.

The Rinconada Canyon trail follows the northern escarpment, allowing the hiker views of a variety of petroglyphs. The trail is 1.1 miles long to the back of the canyon (2.2 miles roundtrip) and is moderately strenuous.

As with any hiking in the park, or the desert Southwest, carry plenty of water and drink often. Wear a hat, sunscreen, and sturdy walking shoes or boots. Watch out for rattlesnakes which inhabit the canyon.

DO NOT leave valuables visible inside your vehicle. Lock your vehicle and set alarm.

 

This map of Rinconada Canyon shows the petroglyph viewing portion of the trail as a dotted line. The numbers correspond to stops on the trail's audio tour available on the National Park Service App, which is free to download.