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What we do International Dark Sky Places

El Morro National Monument

Star trails swirl above Inscription Rock in El Morro National Monument. Photo by Derek Wallentinsen.

About

El Morro National Monument (El Morro) was created in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt in order to protect Inscription Rock, a sandstone bluff containing over 2,000 inscriptions and petroglyphs spanning a cultural continuum of almost 1,000 years. The park also protects significant archeological resources, including a largely unexcavated Ancestral Puebloan village site atop the bluff which is among the largest 13th and 14th century settlements in the American Southwest. The park was expanded in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, and again in 1950 by the U.S. Congress. Today, the monument protects 1,278 acres of land at approximately 7,200′ to 7,500′ of elevation and is administrered by the U.S. National Park Service (NPS).

Designated

2019

Category

International Dark Sky Park
Silver Tier

Address

NM-53
Ramah, New Mexico 87321
U.S.
Google Maps

Contact

Wendy Gordge
Website
Tel.: (505) 783-4226 x801

Land Area

5.17 km2

Documents

Application
Announcement
Annual Reports

Weather

Click here to find ideal environmental conditions for viewing the night sky at El Morro National Monument (35.03551, -108.36917). Don’t forget to plan your trip during the new moon and astronomical twilight to enhance the viewing experience!