El Morro National Monument Out-and-Back Ride

El Morro National Monument

The El Morro National Monument Ride out and back is a terrific spring or fall ride. This a delightful tour that goes through red-rock terrain, wildflowers, and pinon and ponderosa pine forests. This is a fairly moderate tour with no big hills and the one climb up the continental divide only gains about 370'. Follow NM53 south from the vicinity of Grants. There is a new El Malpais National Monument Visitor Center 23 miles south of Grants on NM53 that has interesting information and water. Further south you pass the Bandera Volcano Cone entrance before climbing the Continental Divide.

Bring some walking shoes and take time to tour the El Morro National Monument and view the historic "Inscription Rock" which has hundreds of inscriptions carved on the 200 foot sandstone mesa. There are also some petroglyphs.

Ruins of the Atsinna Pueblo, occupied by Anasazi ancestors of the Zuni people on top of the mesa, are worth the couple of miles walk. The mesa top has great views of the area.

It can get really, really hot in the summer so take plenty of water, snacks, and your camera. Boy can it be windy in the spring, too.

Getting There: This tour begins and ends at the San Rafael Post Office 4 miles south of Grants on NM53. In Grants get off I-40 at exit 81 and drive south on NM53. You can park at the San Rafael Post Office 4 miles south of Grants on NM53. It has a pretty small parking lot but is closed Sundays.

Distance: 78 miles, ~2000 feet total elevation gain. The only climb is 3 miles from the El Malpais Visitor center to the Continental Divide but is only about 370'.

Roadway: NM53 is 2 lane highway with shoulders to the El Malpais Visitor Center. Further south, past the continental divide, NM53 has improved shoulders. NM53 has very light traffic.

Options:

• Start at the Grants city center at the park/museum/fire station for an additional 4.5 miles each way.
• Start at the El Malpais Visitor Center 23 miles from the interstate to make it a 40 mile roundtrip ride.
• See the El Malpais Rides for more options in the area.

Notes: There may be a $3 entry fee at the monument. There is water available and bathrooms at the visitor's center but not other services. Take hiking shoes to explore the monument.

• US National Park Service El Morro National Monument.
• US National Park Service El Malpais National Monument.

El Morro Out and Back CueSheet // 78 Milles 2,000' Mileage Waypoint Description 0 San Rafael Post Office Ride south on NM53 from the San Rafael Post Office. NM53 has fairly new pavement and has nice wide smooth, clean shoulders (no rumble strip) for the 19 miles to the El Malpais National Monument Information center. The El Malpais Monument's Acoma Trailhead is at 13 miles equipped with port-a-potties. NM53 has light traffic. Option: Begin at Grants city center at the park/museum/fire station for an additional 4.5 miles each way. 19 El Malpais Information Center Stop for a break, check out the information at the new Information Center. The pavement narrows, no shoulders but is in decent shape. There is little traffic. The only climb is to the Continental Divide 3 miles past the Visitor's Center but is only about 370'. 39 El Morro National Monument Turn left (south) at the monument sign. The El Morro Visitor Center is about a half mile down the road. There is water, bathrooms, and a picnic area at the visitor's center. Enjoy the walk to Inscription Rock and the 2 mile walk on the mesa top. Return by the same route. 78 San Rafael Post Office

El Morro NM53 Route Map

US NPS Map

El Morro NM53 Elevation Profile

The El Morro ride is fairly flat with a total elevation gain of about 2000'.