This One Spot In New Mexico Has Been Graffitied For Centuries And It’s Truly Fascinating
At its core, graffiti is an attempt to send a message and to claim ownership of a public space. There’s one spot in New Mexico where people have been doing just that for the last four centuries! Inscription Rock at El Morro National Monument is one of the most fascinating displays of graffiti you’ll ever see.
Travelers passing through this portion of New Mexico (between Grants and Ramah) faced an arduous journey. When they spied this 200-foot sandstone mesa towering in front of them, they would have felt intense relief because the rock formation marks the location of a watering hole.
The first European to come here was Juan de Oñate, the Spaniard who led expeditions through the American Southwest. He left his mark on Inscription Rock in 1605, before Jamestown was established and before the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock.
Follow the half-mile long Inscription Trail loop, which is fully accessible. Use the pamphlet from the visitor center to decode the markings – there are more than 2000 of them!
For instance, in 1857, Lt. Edward Beale marked his presence here. He used the spot as a watering hole for the 25 camels he was taking through the desert on behalf of the U.S. Army.
In addition to seeing the inscriptions, you can also ascend to the top of the mesa via the
Headland Trail. This involves a two-mile challenging hike, either up a staircase or via a steep path, to the top of the bluff. (Some claim it’s easier to go up the path and down the stairs.)
The views from here more than compensate for the climb. You can admire the Zuni Mountains, El Malpais National Monument, and the Ancestral Puebloan Ruins called Atsinna.
