Near Ramah in Cibola County, New Mexico — The American Mountains (Southwest)

El Morro National Monument Inscription Rock

El Morro National Monument Marker image. Click for full size.

By Mike Stroud, June 6, 2003

1. El Morro National Monument Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Until it was by-passed by the railroad in the 1880’s, its waterhole made El Morro an important stop for travelers in the Acoma- Zuni region. Numerous inscriptions carved in the sandstone date from the prehistoric, Spanish, Mexican, and Territorial periods in New Mexico’s history. An important example is Oñate’s inscription, carved in 1605.

Erected by State of New Mexico.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Landmarks • Native Americans • Natural Features • Notable Places • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 35° 2.595′ N, 108° 20.284′ W. Marker is near Ramah, New Mexico, in Cibola County. Marker is on State Road 53, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Ramah NM 87321, United States of America. Touch for directions.

More about this marker. The El Morro National Monument is inside the Ramah Navajo Indian Reservation (between towns of Pinehill & El Moro), in Cibola County just to the east of the town of Ramah.

Regarding El Morro National Monument Inscription Rock. El Morro National Monument is located on an ancient east-west trail in western New Mexico.

The main feature of this National Monument is a great sandstone promontory

The Bluff at El Morro image. Click for full size.

By Mike Stroud, 2003

2. The Bluff at El Morro

Hundreds of years before Spanish conquistadores passed by here, a pool’s dependable water supply encouraged the settlement of Puebloan people on top of the bluff.

with a pool of water at its base. As a shaded oasis in the western U.S. desert, this site has seen many centuries of travelers. The Spaniard explorers called it "El Morro" (The Headland). The Zuni Indians call it "A'ts'ina" (Place of writings on the rock). Anglo-Americans called it "Inscription Rock". Travelers left signatures, names, dates, and stories of their treks. While some of the inscriptions are fading, there are still many that can be seen today, some dating to the 17th century. Some petroglyphs and carvings were made by the Anasazi centuries before Europeans started making their mark. In 1906, U.S. federal law prohibited further carving.

Also see . . . National Park Service. El Morro (Submitted on December 5, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)

Some petroglyphs and carvings were made by the Anasazi image. Click for full size.

By Mike Stroud, 2003

3. Some petroglyphs and carvings were made by the Anasazi

The inscriptions date back to the 1600s when the Spanish traveled through the area.

Inscription from Don Juan de Oñate, as mentioned on marker image. Click for full size.

By Mike Stroud

4. Inscription from Don Juan de Oñate, as mentioned on marker

Translation: “Passed by here the Governor Don Juan de Oñate, from the discovery of the Sea of the South on the 16th of April, 1605.”

El Morro waterhole image. Click for full size.

By Mike Stroud, 2003

5. El Morro waterhole

A reliable waterhole hidden at the base of a sandstone bluff made El Morro (the headland) a popular campsite. Ancestral Puebloans and Spanish and American travelers carved over 2,000 signatures, dates, messages, and petroglyphs for hundreds of years.
After centuries of continuous human use, the pool today is used only by local wildlife taking advantage of its refreshing waters.

By Mike Stroud, June 6, 2003

6. El Morro National Monument Marker

(L) "On the 25th of the month of June, of this year of 1709, passed by here on the way to Zuni, Ramon Garcia Jurado."
(R) "By here passed Pedro Romero on the 22nd of August, year of 1751."

In 1857, Breckinridge image. Click for full size.

By Mike Stroud, 2003

7. In 1857, Breckinridge

was in charge of the 25 camels used by Lt. Edward Beale in his expedition.

Inscriptions at the point of El Morro image. Click for full size.

By Mike Stroud, June 6, 2003

8. Inscriptions at the point of El Morro

include old Spanish carvings as well as English carved by members of the 1868 Union Pacific Railroad survey.

Inscription Rock image. Click for full size.

By Mike Stroud, 2003

9. Inscription Rock

R.C. Logan Ohio 1866
E. Pen Long, Baltimore, Md

By Mike Stroud, 2003

10. Inscription Rock

El Morro's Waterhole image. Click for full size.

By Richard Denney, March 16, 2009

11. El Morro's Waterhole

El Morro's waterhole is located at the base of the sandstone bluff shown in this photo.

More signatures, Petroglyphs image. Click for full size.

By Richard Denney, March 16, 2009

12. More signatures, Petroglyphs

One inscription reads "R.H. Orton, Capt. 1st Cal.. 1866". Also visible a petroglyph, perhaps a "cloud terrace" inspired church with cross.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 5, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 3,263 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. submitted on December 5, 2008, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. 11, 12. submitted on May 12, 2014, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. Wide shot of the marker showing it with its surroundings • Can you help?