Chaco Culture Historical Park

Pueblo Bonito - part of it, it is too
big for a simple picture

There is a place that has been on the radar for many years. We were in the area a few years ago but couldn't make the day trip down for some reason, I don't remember why, so this was a specific target this year. Once again there was a question because the road was closed a week before our planned visit but fortunately it was reopened in time.  The place - Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a World Heritage Site, in northwest New Mexico. Yes, this is out of the way and, coming from the north, the last 10 miles are very rough (longer coming from the south) but man, is it worth it. This is the premiere ancestral Pueblo people site and we were not disappointed. The visitor center is small but the film is fantastic. Watch it before heading out on the nine mile loop road to see the different pueblos.

Pueblo Bonito looking down from
the bluff

Pueblo Del Arroyo from bluff

There is a variety of restoration at the various pueblo stops. Some had significant restoration during the archaeology work in the 1920's but now the park service has a "stabilize only" philosophy so no such efforts are done any longer. If you can do it, take one of the hikes to the top of the bluff and look down to get a great view of the pueblos. I did the one to Pueblo Alta and got great looks down on three pueblos. This hike was, for me, very special as it went up one of the creative Chacoan Roads through a narrow crevice in the bluff to the plateau, then a very easy hike along the plateau followed by a (mostly) gentle hike to the pueblo complex at the top of the next level. Walking where the Chacoan people did a thousand years ago is awesome, to me anyway.

Casa Rinconada Community kiva

FYI - you can see the New Alto ruin way up on the opposite bluff from the kiva at the Casa Rinconada.

We stayed in an RV park in Aztec, NM an easy walk to the Aztec Ruins National Monument which is another great site for ancestral Pueblo people structures. We visited this site three years ago and loved it. Now, after seeing more ruins at various places, we decided to visit again since it is so close. We agree this is one of the best sites for ruins because of fantastic exhibits in the visitor center that other sites don't have, the condition of the structures, uniqueness of the structures, and they have a completely restored large kiva that gives a perspective you cannot get anywhere else. This is a must visit for anyone interested in ancient ruins. BTW, the name Aztec is a mistaken name given by Spanish explorers that just stuck.

Hint: anytime you go to a National Park Service location (park, monument, historical site, etc.) be sure to ask if they have a film/video/movie. They usually do and they are usually very good.