Ruins and Rainstorms in New Mexico – Chaco and Aztec

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

An unpaved and rough road led us into Chaco Culture National Historical Park through gorgeous desert scenery in early October 2018. The Jeep has high clearance, trail tires and 4-wheel drive when we need it; and it is great to have in remote and isolated places like these. A thunderstorm let loose and darkened the skies enough that the nearby coyotes were calling back and forth to each other, just like they do at dusk.  An eeie but cool way to launch this cultural adventure.

Chaco Canyon was home to thousands of Pueblo peoples between 850 and 1250 A.D. and the ruins highlight their engineering and organizational abilities not seen anywhere else in the American Southwest.

Feeling brave, we didn’t accessorize for a monsoon rain and wind. I used my hat to shield the camera and we were completely drenched when we returned to the car.  We still enjoyed the ruins and especially loved the interesting patterns left by puddles.  A pour-off waterfall on the rocks behind the ruins was a special treat!  The ruins held wonderful energy that day and I would definitely recommend visiting.  The ravens at the trailheads told us all about the specifics!

Bruce looks through a window at Chaco Canyon NHP

The view to an ancient world

Timbers still visible in the walls

Surrounding scenery is amazing

The cliff provides a great backdrop

Construction is amazing

Petroglyphs tell stories

Joyce opts for iphone photos during the rainstorm while protecting the Nikon

Corner window is thought to be a solstace sundial

Interesting detailed construction

Raven telling me stories

Raven profile

An ant samples the rain water

So many kivas

This kiva is really deep

Water collects in a grinding stone

Scoping out the plaster that once lined the whole wall

Another example of a corner window that is thought to act as a solstace sundial

Monsoon like rain collects inside the ruins while we take cover

This wall is actually straighter than it looks – rains make great reflections

Beautiful pour off brings the rain down throuogh the path

The sound of the water falling over the cliffside is awesome

Patterns in the puddles

Raven supervising Bruce’s photo of the cliff

Contemplating the giant kiva

You can almost feel the presence of a gathering in the kiva

A playful calf escorts us out

3 goats gruff

Aztec Ruins National Monument

Right next to our site at the Ruins Road RV Park, the Aztec Ruins National Monument highlights beautifully preserved Pueblo buildings dating back 900 years. Unique T shaped doorways, intact rooms with original timbers and a beautifully restored great kiva give a good perspective of the way Pueblo people lived.  The kiva is still used for ceremonial purposes today.  The Aztec Ruins are right in town and easy to get to which means there are a lot more visitors than the more remote Chaco Culture site.

IMG_4384 inside the restored kiva

Joyce at Aztec Ruins

Nice view

Great patterns in the eroded buildings at Aztec

The restored kiva building

Artifacts and intricate walls

Windows echo through the rooms – note the timber supporting the top

Unusual keyshape doorway is unique to this area

Inviting doorways

Bruce walks through the buildings lit by window openings

Unusual greenish adornment not seen at other sites

Cottonwoods stand tall next to the site