Mesa Point Trail at Boca Negra Canyon in the Petroglyph National Monument

The Mesa Point Trail in Boca Negra Canyon is a nice trail near Albuquerque. You can view 1000 year-old petroglyphs, as well as get nice views of the city and the Sandia and Manzano Mountains.

Hike data:

Controlling agency:

Petroglyph National Monument

Location in the state:

Central; Albuquerque's west side

Trailhead waypoint(s):

BNCMPT

Elevation:

start:	5193ft; 1583m	end:	5308ft; 1618m
min:	5193ft; 1583m	max:	5308ft; 1618m

Elevation gain/loss:

114 ft; 35 m.

Length:

1148 ft; 350 m.

How long it took us (HH:MM):

02:12.

Cleanliness:

9/10

Trail usage:

0.00 people/hour. Heavy.

Trail Condition:

Paved most places.

Fee:

$2.00. When we visited, the fee was $1.00 on weekdays and $2.00 on weekends.

When we hiked it:

2003-01-26.

Trailhead facilities:

Water, trash cans, toilets, picnic area.

Special features of the hike:

History.

When to hike:

All year.

General comments:

Most trailhead facilities are nearby at the trailhead for the Cliff Base trail.

Maps:

Getting to the trailhead:

From I-40 Westbound from Albuquerque, take exit 154 (Under Blvd, State Highway 345). Head north on Unser for 4.9 miles. The entrance to the park is on the right. As you go around the loop road, the parking area is (? verify) the first on the right. The parking lot is small, and you might have to park elsewhere and hike over to the trailhead. Trails lead between all of the parking areas, so this is not a problem.

The hike:

	At the beginning of the trail, there are lots of petroglyphs. They decrease in density somewhat as you climb the mesa, but there are always plenty to look at.
The lighting is important to being able to see petroglyphs. You will probably see different petroglyphs in the morning than in the afternoon.
	When you come to a junction, take it for more petroglyphs. The side trails all dead-end, but are good to take.
The trail leads to the mesa top. The signs request that you stay on the trail. Unfortunately, many people ignore the signs. From the mesa top, you get a good view of the Sandia and Manzano mountains, as well as the city coming to the Park's edge.
	While the petroglyphs are the main attraction, keep your eyes open for other interesting sights.

Plants we saw along the trail:

Broom snakeweed (Asteraceae Gutierrezia sarothrae)
Fourwing saltbush (Chenopodiaceae Atriplex canescens)
Winterfat (Chenopodiaceae Krascheninnikovia lanata)

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