Three Rivers Petroglyph Site

There are many great things about RVing. One is meeting a fellow RVer who has traveled certain back rounds that you have yet to travel. While we were in Deming, NM we sat and spoke with some our fellow RVers. One stated that instead of driving I-25 there is a parallel highway US 59 where you can bypass Albuquerque and Santa Fe and pick up I-25 near Las Vegas, NM. We are all about that because we don’t like to drive through big cities especially when you are not planning on stopping at one of them. Because of his suggestion, we found the most amazing Bureau of Land Management (BLM) site.

The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site has the most amazing prehistoric art that I have ever witnessed. There are over 21,000 glyphs at this site. The Jornada Mogollon people lived in this area. The assumption is that they left due to a drought when the three rivers (the dry beds are still visible) dried up. For what ever reason they left, the legacy of this amazing art tells us a story that they existed and lived a rich life.

We did not even go to through the entire site. There were more than a few rattlesnake sightings on the day we visited so we only visited the less strenuous part of the trail. It is rocky and uneven. If you have balance issues, I would recommend using a trekking pole. This is a place where you need sturdy shoes or better yet hiking boots. A hat and suncreen are a good recommendation since you get a lot of glare off the rocks.

Look forward. Look behind you. There is so much to see. We walked less than a mile but we spent more than two hours looking at glyphs. This is such an exciting place. As with any outdoor art, you only want to take pictures. Don’t touch or climb on the art. You could permanently damage it.

This site has two RV pull through areas. Those have power and water. No sewer. There is a picnic area and a very clean bathroom as well. It is 17 miles north of Tularosa, NM and 28 miles south of Carrizo, NM off US 54.

There is a nominal cost, I think $6. This is a place that accepts the America the Beautiful Pass. There is no further cost if you have present your pass with a valid ID. Have you ever been here? If so, what did you think?

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