El Morro National Monument is a fascinating little spot hiding away in west central New Mexico, off of state route 53 east of Zuni Pueblo.  It's a sandstone bluff that for centuries has been a landmark to various travelers in this region, not only because of its memorable appearance but also because of a little oasis tucked within it where there is a perennial pool.

Many of those travelers left inscriptions at the base of the cliffs around the pool, dating back to Anasazi times of around 900 to 1200 AD.  Later, Spanish conquistadors passed by and left some very interesting marks of their own, in the form of long, eloquent, and ornate passages dating from the 1600s.  More recently, cavalry men of the US Army camped near here in the mid to late 1800s, and they left marks too.   

You can see many of the inscriptions, some of which are quite detailed.  It's an interesting cross cultural slice of history.  There are also ancient Indian ruins on top of the cliffs.

El Morro National Monument official NPS map.

Nearby points of interest include El Malpais National Monument, Chaco Canyon National Historic Park, Acoma Sky City Pueblo, Petroglyph National Monument, Bandelier National Monument, and Canyon de Chelley National Monument.