2 Miles Roundtrip Loop

357 Feet Elevation Gain

Somewhat Easy Trail With Rewarding Views of Volcanoes & Anasazi Ruins

El Morro National Monument is another out of the way Monument that is dedicated to archaeology and history and includes a fantastic hike to ruins with great views. The Headland Trail is a 2 mile roundtrip loop that takes you to the inscriptions on the rock and on top of the mesa to the Atsinna Ruins where you’ll be able to see distant volcanic cones and the Zuni Mountains.

The inscriptions on the rock wall are from the Spanish including Oñate & Vargas, Anglo Settlers, and the ancient Anasazi / Ancestral Puebloan / Basketmaker people who once inhabited the area.

Atsinna Pueblo on top of the mesa is a 355 room pueblo that housed around 600 people from 1275 to 1350 AD.

You definitely cannot miss the mountains and Volcanoes of El Malpais all around you. It’s a beautiful spot with great views and amazing history and in this area of New Mexico, you’ll most likely have very few fellow travelers.

If you’re interested in the unique and exciting history of Chaco Culture National Historical Park and the surrounding Four Corners Area, listen to my history podcast which details in depth, the people, their culture, and the landscape. I have an entire series, starting with the Ice Age and going right up to the Spanish which covers the Anasazi, Ancestral Puebloans, Mesa Verdeans, Mogollon, Hohokam, and of course, the Chacoans.