Rate El Morro National Monument
Learn and Explore
Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, we safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 275 million visitors every year. But our work doesn’t stop there.
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Our Mission
The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I obtain a park entrance pass?
Only 118 of your 417 park sites charge entrance fees. You can obtain park entrance passes by visiting a park site that charges an entrance fee. Entrance fee sites have passes available; we recommend calling a park prior to your visit. (See the park search to locate a specific park.) There are a number of entrance passes available, including park-specific passes as well as passes that offer entrance to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites in addition to the national parks (Annual, Military, Senior, 4th Grade, Access, and Volunteer passes). Learn more about the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass.
About this location:
National Monument
Operating Hours & Seasons
El Morro National Monument
2015-2016 Hours: (Winter hours begin Tuesday, September 8, 2015 and will remain in effect until May 27, 2016 ) Visitor Center-9:00 am to 5:00 pm; Trails-9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Please plan on being here by 4:00 p.m. at the latest to walk the trail. Closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1. The entire monument, including trails, follow the hours posted above.
Standard Hours
- Sunday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Monday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Tuesday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Wednesday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Thursday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Friday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
- Saturday:9:00 AM-5:00 PM
Fees & Passes
Entrance Fees:
- $0.00 – El Morro National Monument Entrance Fee
There is no fee to enter El Morro National Monument.
About
Paso por aqui…
Imagine the comfort and 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. We invite you to make El Morro a stopping point on your travels.
Directions
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.
Visitor Centers
El Morro Visitor Center
Park rangers will assist you with park information, orientation, and interpretation about El Morro.
Weather
At an elevation of 7,219 feet (2200 meters) winters can be cold and snowy. Summers are warm with afternoon thunder showers from mid-July through mid-September. Trails can close unexpectedly due to severe weather. Average snowfall: 40 inches per year. Average precipitation (snowmelt and rain): 16 inches per year. Warmest month: July, with average highs of 84 degrees and lows of 52 degrees. Coldest months: December and January, with average lows of 14-15 degrees, and average highs of 44-45 degrees.
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