January 10, 2021
I met up with Alan at the Information Center of Petroglyph National Monument on the west side of Albuquerque at around 1:00. We went in to the visitor’s center and I picked up a couple of trinkets for my souvenir wall before carpooling out to the trailhead.
The Boca Negra Canyon trailhead was another 7 minute drive north of the visitor’s center. When we arrived, it was in the high 30s; cold and overcast. I was layered up with jeans, wool socks, and undershirt, a waffle weave Henley, a flannel and my hoodie. I also wore a beanie, and had light gloves with me, but didn’t need them.
AllTrails and the NPS website both have this trail marked as “easy” so I was expecting a walk on par with my first hike on the Copper Trailhead Loop. That was not the case.
The trail was a very primitive trail with only a couple of cement stairs strewn throughout, and a few handrails of varying integrity, from wooden built handrails to metal cables run through rods loosely stuck into the ground. We found ourselves climbing over volcanic boulders and rocks at grades as much as 46% (which, considering the Copper Trailhead Loop maxed out at 25%, and I fought with that…)
I was undeterred though. We made the trek, stopping periodically to take pictures and for me to catch my breath (thanks Alan for being so patient while I worked through the strain.)
Along the way, we encountered several petroglyphs carved into the volcanic rock by early Puebloans and early Spanish settlers.
A little over halfway through the hike, we encountered a spur in the trail that took us further up the mesa for what would likely have been a wonderful vista of the Sandia mountains to the east, if not for the low clouds obscuring the view. We did get to see the Rio Grande Valley… and a lot of people’s back yards. The trails at Petroglyph are largely embedded in quite suburban areas.
We made our way down the side of the hill and landed back at Alan’s truck about 40 minutes after our departure. We decided to go scope out the Piedras Marcadas Canyon Trailhead, which was another 15 minute drive north of the Boca Negra trailhead, and even further into a suburban neighborhood. The NPS website has this one marked as “easy to moderate” so I might not be able to do this one just yet.
Once we got back to my car at the visitor’s center, Alan and I made plans to meet once a month (to start) to get out and do something. We have tentatively scheduled our next outing for February 20 but we’re not quite sure what we’re going to do yet.
But until we do it, here are some pictures from Sunday’s outing, including a handful from Alan:
