National Monuments & Parks

Pecos National Historic Park: an hour and a half north of Albuquerque, “the park encompasses thousands of acres of landscape infused with historical elements from prehistoric archaeological ruins to 19th-century ranches, to a battlefield of the American Civil War. Its largest single feature is Pecos Pueblo, a Native American community abandoned in historic times”

El Morro National Monument: two hours west of Albuquerque, “the monument preserves the remains of a large prehistoric pueblo atop a great sandstone promontory with a pool of water at its base… with its oasis-like source of water, El Morro served as a natural resting place for numerous travelers through the otherwise arid and desolate region, many of whom left their signatures, names, dates, and stories of their treks in the walls of the sandstone cliff. While some of the inscriptions are now faded through age, there are still many that can be seen today and remain legible, with some dating back to the 17th century. The oldest legible inscription at El Morro, left by Juan de Oñate, the first Spanish governor of the colony of Santa Fe de Nuevo México, is dated April 16, 1605.” Nearby is El Malpais National Monument.

Fort Union National Monument: two hours northeast of Albuquerque, “the site preserves the second of three forts constructed on the site beginning in 1851, as well as the ruins of the third”