Chaco Culture N.H.P. & Aztec Ruins N.M.
Day One - Best of the Southwest - 2023
A morning exploring the remote and fascinating Chaco Culture National Historical Park followed by an afternoon stop at Aztec Ruins National Monument. These two sites are the primary components of the Chaco Culture UNESCO World Heritage Site.
1. Clouds Over La Ventana Mesa
The Pueblo of Jemez has about 3,400 members, most of whom live in the village of Walatowa, New Mexico.
This road trip set off from Albuquerque with the goal of exploring some of the American Southwest’s best known and lesser known sights. The first day of the “Best of the Southwest” road trip would focus more on the latter, particularly a visit to an off-the-beaten-path UNESCO World Heritage Site in Northwestern New Mexico. Setting off early from ABQ, we were treated to this view of springtime clouds across the deserts of the Pueblo of Jemez just after sunrise.
2. The Lonely Windmill
Much of Northwest New Mexico is composed of vast stretches of ranch scrubland.
One of my favorite parts of traveling in this part of the world is just how easy it is to find yourself in complete and peaceful desolation.
3. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #1
Hungo Pavi is one of the Great Houses at Chaco Culture National Historic Park.
The first major stop of the Best of the Southwest Road Trip was the aforementioned UNESCO World Heritage Site of Chaco Culture National Historic Park in Northwest New Mexico, where I’d spend most of the morning exploring. Chaco Culture was a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture. Between the mid-800s and mid-1100s, dozens of great houses were built in the Chaco Wash. Many mysteries still surround these structures, but it is believed that these buildings were used for communal purposes such as trade and ceremonies rather than for permanent residence. Additionally, it is believed that these sites align with astronomical and cardinal directions.
Three more photographs of Hungo Pavi follow.
4. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #2
Hungo Pavi is one of the few Chacoan buildings to remain undisturbed and unexcavated.
5. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #3
Hungo Pavi was built in the 1000s in a "D"-shape, with walls extending out into an arc-shaped courtyard which housed a great kiva, or a large, circular-shaped ceremonial chamber.
6. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #4
Hungo Pavi is easily accessed by a short walk from the main circular road which runs through the National Monument.
7. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #5
The origins of the name Chetro Ketl is unknown, but may derive from "Pueblo Chetho Kette", meaning "The Rain Pueblo."
A short distance from Hungo Pavi is Chaco Culture National Monument's second-largest great house, Chetro Ketl. Chetro Ketl covers 5.7 acres / 2.3 hectares in total.
Four more photographs of Chetro Ketl follow.
8. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #6
Chetro Ketl's great kiva was contained within the structure's walls, a rarity amongst Pueblo structures.
9. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #7
Chetro Ketl was built around 1000 AD and contained upwards of 400 rooms. The great house is a "D"-shaped structure which required 26,000 trees and 50 million sandstone blocks to build.
10. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #8
The site was abandoned around 1250 when the surrounding landscape dried up due to a lack of rain.
11. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #9
Chetro Ketl is easily accessed by a .5 mile / 800 meter walk from the main circular road which runs through the National Monument.
12. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #10
Chaco Culture’s Petroglyph Trail passes several, well, petroglyphs - carvings made into rock (in this case, sandstone) by sharp objects.
Between Chetro Ketl and Pueblo Bonito is a .25 mile / 400 meter walking trail which passes several rock carvings. I recommend the walk if you have the time, but do bring either a telephoto lens or binoculars as some of the petroglyphs are a good distance away.
Another photograph of the Petroglyph Trail follows.
13. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #11
The Petroglyph Trail passes many excellent ancestral Puebloan markings, including spirals and birds.
14. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #12
Pueblo Bonito is the largest Great House within Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
The west end of the Petroglyph Trail terminates at Pueblo Bonito, perhaps Chaco Canyon National Historical Park’s best known (or, at least, most photogenic) Great House. If you see no other feature within Chaco Culture N.H.P., definitely make sure it is this one (along with the adjacent Chetro Ketl).
At the risk of overselling Pueblo Bonito's importance, preeminent archaeologist Brian Fagan has said, "Pueblo Bonito is an archeological icon, as famous as England's Stonehenge, Mexico's Teotihuacan, or Peru's Machu Picchu."
Nine photographs of Pueblo Bonito follow, including several featuring its famous windows and doors!
15. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #13
Pueblo Bonito has a commanding view over what is now known as Chaco Canyon, and the towering structure once contained 800 rooms.
16. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #14
Built between the 800s and 1100s AD, Pueblo Bonito was considered the center of the Chacoan culture during this period.
17. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #15
Pueblo Bonito has a great kiva surrounded by over two dozen smaller kivas.
18. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #16
Some of Pueblo Bonito's walls are up to three feet / one meter thick.
19. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #17
Pueblo Bonito once contained 800 rooms. The structure is divided into two sections divided by a wall which runs perfectly north-south.
20. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #18
Much like the other great houses within Chaco Culture, it is believed Pueblo Bonito was used as a cultural center rather than as a residence.
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Now back to the travelogue!
21. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #19
Pueblo Bonito is, according to the National Park Service, “the most thoroughly investigated and celebrated cultural site in Chaco Canyon.”
22. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #20
Pueblo Bonito’s doorways are famous for their cascading light.
23. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #21
Dozens of critical archaeological discoveries have been made in Pueblo Bonito’s many rooms, including pottery, flutes, and samples of Mexican cacao believed to pre-date Spanish exploration of the area.
24. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #22
Casa Chiquita is an unexcavated Great House formed in a square pattern.
Beyond Pueblo Bonito is a hiking path which runs up Chaco Canyon. This hiking trail passes several smaller Great Houses, terminating at Penasco Blanco. As the sun is strong around noon even in early spring, we only made it to Caca Chiquita, which took about 30 minutes.
25. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #23
Kin Kletso may be the last Great House built in Chaco Canyon, completed around 1125 AD.
Returning back towards Pueblo Bonito, we passed by Kin Kletso, which stands apart from the other Great Houses in Chaco Canyon as it uses rectangular bricks.
26. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #24
Pueblo del Arroyo was likely built to relieve overcrowding at Pueblo Bonito.
Back near Pueblo Bonito is Pueblo del Arroyo. While there are 14 rooms, there is no great kiva.
Three additional photos of Pueblo del Arroyo follow.
27. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #25
28. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #26
29. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #27
30. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #28
The top of Fajada Butte is home to the scientifically controversial Sun Dagger site, a shrine at which light strikes a spiral etched on the wall to mark the solstices and equinoxes….
While I could have spent all day at Chaco Culture National Historic Park, we had to get a move on to get to the overnight accommodations near Four Corners. On the way out, we stopped at the lovely Visitor’s Center, as well as this information sign near Fajada Butte.
Another photograph of Fajada Butte - and the last from the highly-recommended Chaco Culture N.H.P. - follows.
31. Chaco Culture National Historic Park #29
… however, the age of the spiral and its utility in annotating the seasons when other better methods already existed make the site archaeologically dubious.
32. Aztec Ruins National Monument #1
Aztec Ruins’ impressive great kiva has been restored and is considered a Puebloan cultural site.
After departing Chaco Culture National Historic Park, we made our way to Aztec Ruins National Monument in, well, Aztec, New Mexico. This site is co-listed with Chaco Culture N.H.P. as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite being a significantly smaller size, Aztec’s accessibility means it is the better known of the two locations. While you can certainly spend hours at Chaco Culture, Aztec Ruins will take maybe an hour to visit. Upon departing, we made a stop for dinner at the excellent Olive Tree Restaurant in Farmington before retiring for the evening.
Six additional photographs of Aztec Ruins National Monument follows.
33. Aztec Ruins National Monument #2
Aztec Ruins are ancestral Puebloan structures from the 12th and 13th centuries.
34. Aztec Ruins National Monument #3
Aztec Ruins features one excavated building and great kiva (the West Ruin) and several unexcavated mounds.
35. Aztec Ruins National Monument #4
The West Ruin once consisted of 400 rooms.
36. Aztec Ruins National Monument #5
Despite being called Aztec Ruins, the term "Aztec" is misleading - the settlers in the area believed the Puebloans were related to the unaffiliated Aztec people of Mexico.
37. Aztec Ruins National Monument #6
Aztec Ruins’ Puebloan structures are from the 12th and 13th centuries.
38. Aztec Ruins National Monument #7
The UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes Aztec Ruins and Chaco Culture was declared in 1987.
