# Acoma Sky City, El Malpais and El Morro

> 2-day road trip of about 301 km (187 mi) with 6 stops, from Albuquerque to Gallup. About 3 h 20 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b18-acoma-el-malpais/

**At a glance:** 2-day road trip of about 301 km (187 mi) with 6 stops, from Albuquerque to Gallup. About 3 h 20 min of driving in total. West of Albuquerque to a pueblo on a mesa top, a lava-field arch and an inscription rock carved by centuries of travelers, ending in Gallup.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 301 km (187 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 20 min |
| Suggested days | 2 |
| Stops | 6 |
| Route | Albuquerque → Gallup |
| States | NM |
| Updated | May 19, 2026 |

## Route description

Leave Albuquerque west on I-40 and take exit 102 for Acoma Pueblo, about 100 km from the city. A paved road runs south past sandstone mesas to the Sky City Cultural Center, where guided tours start by bus up to the village on top of the mesa. Tours may be suspended on feast days and at other times, so check before you go. Photography needs a permit.

Return to I-40 and head west to exit 89, then take NM-117 south along the eastern edge of El Malpais. The Sandstone Bluffs Overlook looks over black lava flows, and La Ventana Arch is a short walk from the road further south. NM-117 is paved and quiet, fine for RVs. Return the same way to I-40 and continue to Grants, a former uranium-mining town with a visitor center for El Malpais.

From Grants, take NM-53 south and west, the Ancient Way. It passes the Zuni-Acoma Trail and the privately run Bandera Volcano and Ice Cave, then crosses the Continental Divide. After about 70 km you reach El Morro National Monument, where a sandstone bluff holds inscriptions by Spanish explorers, soldiers and settlers. It also has a small, free first-come campground.

At El Morro, walk the paved Inscription Loop and, if you have time, the Headland Trail over the top to the ruins of Atsinna Pueblo. NM-53 then continues west to Zuni Pueblo, known for its silver and stone carving. From Zuni, NM-602 runs north for about 65 km to Gallup on I-40, the trading center of the region with pawnshops and Route 66 buildings.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Albuquerque** (NM)
2. **Acoma Sky City** (Acoma Pueblo, NM): A pueblo on a sandstone mesa top 110 m high, inhabited for about 1,000 years. Visits are by guided tour only from the Sky City Cultural Center; photography requires a permit.
3. **La Ventana Natural Arch** (Grants, NM): One of New Mexico’s largest arches, in El Malpais National Conservation Area. Pull-off from NM-117 and a short trail lead toward it; nearby Sandstone Bluffs overlook the lava flows.
4. **Grants** (NM)
5. **El Morro National Monument** (Ramah, NM): A sandstone bluff above a waterhole where travelers carved names for centuries, including Spanish inscriptions from 1605. A trail loops over the top to an ancient pueblo.
6. **Gallup** (NM)

## FAQs

**How long is Acoma Sky City, El Malpais and El Morro?**
2-day road trip of about 301 km (187 mi) with 6 stops, from Albuquerque to Gallup. About 3 h 20 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Acoma Sky City, El Malpais and El Morro?**
We suggest 2 days: about 3 h 20 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Acoma Sky City, El Malpais and El Morro start and end?**
It starts in Albuquerque and ends in Gallup.

**Which states does Acoma Sky City, El Malpais and El Morro pass through?**
New Mexico.