About El Morro National Monument
Imagine the refreshment of finding water after days of dusty travel. A reliable waterhole hidden at the base of a sandstone bluff made El Morro (the headland) a popular campsite for hundreds of years. Here, ancestral Puebloans, Spanish, and American travelers carved over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs. Make El Morro National Monument a stopping point on your travels.
Quick Facts
Operating Hours
Winter Hours (October 19, 2025 - May 23, 2026). Visitor center and trails open 5 days/week. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Trail access begins at 9:00 am. Last admittance to the Headland Trail is at 3:00 pm MT. Last admittance to the Inscription Loop Trail is at 4:00 pm MT. There is no access to park trails once the visitor center closes at 5:00 pm. Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1. Summer Hours (May 24, 2026 - October 17, 2026). Park visitor center and trails open 7 days/week.
Activities
Getting There
From Albuquerque, NM, or from the east: take Interstate 40 west to Grants. At exit 81, go south on Highway 53 for 42 miles to El Morro National Monument. From Flagstaff, AZ, or from the west: take Interstate 40 east to Gallup. At exit 20, go south on Highway 602 for about 31 miles. Turn east (left) onto Highway 53. El Morro is 25 more miles.
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Topics & Themes
Things To Do
El Morro Campground
El Morro National Monument operates a free, nine-site campground with two vault toilets year-round. Sites are available by self-registration on…
Campground Rules Number of People/Vehicles: Campsites are limited to no more than eight people, two tents, and two vehicles per…
Hiking the Headland Trail
This 2-mile trail includes the Inscription Loop and takes you to the top of the El Morro bluff. It is…
The trail is rated as moderately strenuous. Water, snacks, and sturdy shoes are recommended.
Hike the Inscription Rock Trail
This 0.75 mile (1.2 km) trail takes you to the pool and past hundreds of Spanish and American inscriptions, and…
El Morro Visitor Center
For visitors who are unable to hike or would like to learn more about El Morro, the El Morro Visitor…
El Morro Junior Ranger Program
Are you interested in becoming a Junior Ranger? Ask a ranger at the front desk for an El Morro Junior…
Visitor Centers
El Morro Visitor Center
Your visit to El Morro National Monument begins here. Park rangers and volunteers are available to answer your questions and orient you to the facilities…
Hours: Winter Hours: Closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Open Thursday-Monday. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm MT. Summer Hours: Open seven days a week. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm MT. Entry to the Headland Trail ends at 3:00 pm. Entry to the Inscription Loop Trail ends at 4:00 pm. Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1.
Campgrounds
El Morro Campground
El Morro operates a nine-site campground 7 days/week, year-round. First come-first served. Each site has a graveled tent pad, picnic table and ground grill for…
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