Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is located 17 miles north of Tularosa, NM, and 28 miles south of Carrizozo, NM on U.S. 54. Turn east from U.S. 54 at Three Rivers onto County Road B30 and travel five miles on paved road, following signs.
There is a fee of $5 per vehicle for day use and $7 for camping. Open year-round. From April to October, the entrance gate is open from 8:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. From October until April, it’s open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
The Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is one of the few locations in the Southwest set aside solely because of its rock art. It is also one of the few sites giving visitors such direct access to petroglyphs. The number and concentration of petroglyphs here make it one of the largest and most interesting petroglyphs sites in the Southwest.
More than 21,000 glyphs of birds, humans, animals, fish, insects and plants, as well as numerous geometric and abstract designs are scattered over 50 acres of New Mexico's northern Chihuahuan Desert. The petroglyphs at Three Rivers, dating back to between about 900 and 1400 AD, were created by Jornada Mogollon people who used stone tools to remove the dark patina on the exterior of the rock.
A small pueblo ruin is nearby and Sierra Blanca towers above to the east. A detailed petroglyph guide is available at the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site. A rugged half-mile trail begins at the visitor shelter and links many of the most interesting petroglyphs. Another short trail begins on the east side of the picnic area and leads to the remains of a Mogollon village, whose inhabitants were likely responsible for the petroglyphs. Occupied for about 400 years, the site was partially excavated in 1976. On the village site, there are foundations of three types of prehistoric buildings. Native Americans originally occupied the site about 10,000 years ago. The descendants of the early occupants were the Jornada Mogollon Indians, who inhabited the region 900 to 1400 AD.
The Jornada Mogollon Indians carved a remarkable number of petroglyphs into the desert varnish on the smooth, rounded weathered surfaces on the basaltic rocks in this area between 900 and 1200 AD. Desert varnish is a thin layer of manganese oxide, iron oxide, and clay that is deposited by bacteria living on the surface of the rock. The Mogollon Indians took advantage of the desert varnish and left behind their artwork. It may be translated as messages, seasons, or territorial signs. Desert varnish forms only on physically stable rock surfaces that are no longer subject to frequent precipitation, fracturing or sandblasting. The varnish is primarily composed of particles of clay along with iron and manganese oxides. There is also a host of trace elements and almost always some organic matter. The color of the varnish varies from shades of brown to black.
New Mexico is one of the most geologically active areas of the forty-eight contiguous states. On the surface volcanoes are resting while rivers carve the earth, mountain ranges are thrust skyward, and howling winds erode and deposit sand and soil. Yet hidden beneath the surface is the culprit responsible for much of New Mexico’s beauty, the Rio Grande Rift. It works slowly spreading the continental crust apart while leaving evidence of its powerful presence behind. Its effects are standing tall on the Three Rivers Petroglyph Site.
Old volcanoes whose ancient flows gave birth to an extensive mesa and a jagged, boulder-strewn escarpment. Working together—the Rio Grande Rift, volcanoes, rivers, wind—along with time, these earth forming forces continue to mold New Mexico’s landscape. The Ro Grande Rift runs vertically down the length of New Mexico. The rift formed when the crust of the Colorado Plateau to the west pulled away from the crust of the Great Plains to the east. As the divergence continued, a giant crack developed where the Colorado Plateau and Great Plains meet. The crust in between was stretched and thinned like soft baking dough. Large blocks of the crust dropped down into the crack. A trough was created by this cracking and down-dropping. The trough is forty miles wide in some areas. Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is located in the rift.
The area surrounding the rift was unstable and subject to many earthquakes that formed deep cracks, called fissures. Geologists estimate that 130,000 years ago magma rose along a five-mile long fissure and reached the earth’s surface. Being a non-violent fissure eruption, lava flowed eastward in a sheet-like fashion and covered the Santa Fe mation, an accumulation of sand and gravel up to 25,000 feet thick. The lava cooled and hardened, transforming into basalt rock.
Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock that is very dark in color. It is the most common type of rock in the Earth's crust and it makes up most of the ocean floor. It is made of many dark colored minerals such as pyroxene and olivine. Basalt also contains some light colored minerals such as feldspar and quartz, but the amounts are small. Typically, you can't see most of the mineral crystals without using a microscope because quick cooling prevents large crystals from forming. Basalt forms when lava reaches the Earth's surface at a volcano or mid ocean ridge. The lava is between 1100 to 1250° C when it gets to the surface. It cools quickly, within a few days or a couple weeks, forming solid rock. Very thick lava flows may take many years to become completely solid.
American Indians and Spanish settlers carved their images on these basalt boulders. The nature of the rock itself is what allows the petroglyphs to be visible. The basalt is high in iron, manganese and calcium. The combination of these minerals makes the basalt a light gray color. After long exposure to oxygen and water the iron and manganese oxidize or rust. A dark shiny coating, or patina, forms on the surface of the basalt boulders. The patina is called desert varnish. When looking at the dark basalt boulders, you are actually looking at desert varnish.
American Indians discovered permanent marks could be made by using another rock to chip off the desert varnish. Many American Indians are able to claim cultural relationships to past inhabitants of this area because they recognize the images as having deep cultural and spiritual significance.
Please respect the importance of petroglyphs to American Indians and to the descendants of original Spanish settlers.
The collection of artifacts from this site is prohibited and against the law. The punishment is could be jail time, a fine or both. If you do see something interesting do not touch it. Tell the park supervisor and show him what you found. It will be recorded and marked off if needed.
Stay on the designated trails as we are guests.
To get credit for this Earth Cache please answer the following questions.
1. What is the dark layer on the rocks called and how is it formed?
2. What is the type of rock the petroglyphs on?
3. There is another type of rock at the site. It is all over the ground. Describe the differences between those rocks and the rocks the petroglyphs are located.
4. Near the coordinates you will find several petroglyphs. Describe the your favorite and give some detail.
5. Post a picture of yourself with your favorite petroglyph of the day. This is not required.
Please do not post answers in the logs. Logs with answers and or no email with the answers will be deleted.