Mystery Stone, Valencia County
— Channel your inner Indiana Jones and visit Mystery Stone, located on State Trust Lands at the base of Hidden Mountain, 16 miles west of Los Lunas. Also known as Los Lunas Decalogue Stone and Commandments Rock, this 80-ton boulder of volcanic basalt bears an inscription which is believed to be an abbreviated version of the Ten Commandments written in Hebrew.
Mystery Stone was first documented in 1933 by University of New Mexico archaeology professor Frank Hibben. Believers say the carvings could be 2,000 years old; skeptics call Mystery Stone a hoax. Which are you? Visit and decide for yourself.
To access State Trust Lands you must purchase a recreational access permit from the New Mexico State Land Office. Permits cost $35, are good for up to 10 people, and are valid for one year.
Visit www.nmstatelands.org for more information.
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Publisher’s Note: You may also find the book Los Lunas Mystery Stone and Other Sacred Sites of New Mexico by Donald N. Yates to be of interest. ISBN-13: 978-0-89540-444-2