Three Rivers Petroglyph Site was an unplanned stop on our way to Socorro, the city where we would spent the night before to go to Very Large Array the next morning. While we were having lunch on the road we starting check on the map to find anything that could be replaicing our visit to Carlsbad Caverns National Park. What happen is that we spent so much time in White Sands National Monument that we would arrived late to visit the caverns of Carlsbad that day.

The road has already given us some beautiful views, so we were sure that a nice surprise was awaiting us… and we were right. Just half way to Socorro there was a Three Rivers Petroglyph Site created to protect a beautiful heritage with lots of rock carvigns (petroglyphs) along a large protected area.

The entrance fee in the period of our visit (July 2016) was $5 per car, but we had the America the Beautiful Pass giving free access to all National Parks and sites in the US.

The area has a very peaceful atmosphere inviting visitors to enjoy the walk through a beautiful place with the Tularosa Basin on one side and the Sacramento Mountains on the other one.

Besides the main goal was witnessing the remains of the Jornada Mogollon (ancient Indian culture), of more than 600 years.

Over 21.000 petroglyphs have been identified in the area and carved between 900 and 1400 A.C. Ruth could take some pictures of some of them.

You certainly must be very careful not to damage these petroglyphs and respect the trail paths available.

We also passed by the place were the first atomic bomb was tested called Trinity Site, however is open one day a year, so no luck for us this time.

A very nice surprise in the middle of New Mexico 🙂

Next stop, Very Large Array!