Three Rivers Petroglyph Site: Day Trip From Alamogordo

Three Rivers Petroglyph Site is a Bureau of Land Management site 17 miles north of Tularosa where you can walk a rocky ridge covered with more than 21,000 petroglyphs carved by the Jornada Mogollon people. It is open year round, day use is $7 per vehicle, and cool fall and winter days are some of the nicest times to go.

If you have family in town for the holidays or you just PCSed to Holloman and want a first adventure, this is one of my favorite easy outings north of Alamogordo.

What is Three Rivers Petroglyph Site?

According to the BLM's Three Rivers Petroglyph Site page, the basalt ridge above the Three Rivers Valley holds more than 21,000 petroglyphs spread across about 50 acres of northern Chihuahuan Desert. You will see masks, sunbursts, animals, handprints and geometric designs, made by chipping away the dark coating on the rock with stone tools. The BLM says they were likely made between about 200 and 1450 AD.

The site is set aside for its rock art, and the BLM's 2026 story on the site says about 48,000 people visit each year.

How do you get there from Alamogordo?

Head north on US 54 through Tularosa. The BLM says the site is 17 miles north of Tularosa, and at Three Rivers you turn east on County Road B30 and drive five miles on a paved road, following the signs. Tularosa is about 13 miles north of Alamogordo, so plan on about 35 miles each way. Sierra Blanca rises to the east as you drive in, so bring your camera.

How much does it cost, and when is it open?

One timely tip: Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11, 2026, is one of the BLM's 2026 fee-free days for U.S. residents, which waive standard amenity and day-use fees at many BLM sites. Camping fees are not waived. Call the BLM Las Cruces District Office at (575) 525-4300 to confirm the waiver applies at Three Rivers before you go. The site is open that day, but the visitor center is closed on Wednesdays.

What trails and amenities are there?

The Petroglyph Trail starts at the visitor shelter, and the BLM calls it a rugged half-mile trail that links many of the main petroglyphs. Wear good shoes, since much of it climbs over rock. The BLM notes a section has been made accessible, along with two binocular viewfinders.

The Village Trail is a short walk from the picnic area to a partially excavated Mogollon village with the foundations of three types of prehistoric buildings.

There are five shaded picnic shelters with tables and grills, tent sites, two RV sites with water and electric hookups, restrooms and drinking water.

If you are planning a family get-together, birthday or club outing, the group site is the spot to ask about. According to the BLM, it is one large shelter with three picnic tables and two grills, and the fee is $60 per day. The BLM page does not say how to reserve it, so call the Las Cruces District Office at (575) 525-4300 before you plan around it.

What does this mean for newcomers and families?

Three Rivers is the kind of place that makes the Tularosa Basin feel like home. It is close enough for a half day trip, cheap enough to go again with every round of visitors, and it gives kids a real look at the people who lived here long before us. If you are new to the area, pair it with my Oliver Lee State Park and Dog Canyon guide for another great hike, and see my Holloman relocation guide for more about settling in.

One request from me: please look but do not touch the rock art, and stay on the trail so it lasts for the next family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Details come from the Bureau of Land Management's Three Rivers Petroglyph Site page, its March 2026 blog story and its 2026 fee-free days bulletin, checked 4 November 2026. Fees and hours can change, so check with the BLM before you go.