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Chaco Canyon

Dorkasaurus

Dorkasaurus

Went to Durango, CO on a beer run and along the way stopped off for a walk around Chaco Canyon.  If you've never heard of it it's a canyon in the middle of nowhere here in NM that was home to the Anasazi people roughly 1000 to 1200 years ago. 
 
To put this in perspective there were no McDonald's, factories, internet cafes, or Round Up Ready plants.  Your great great great grandfather wasn't anywhere close to being born.  Dick Clark was still a young boy.  :P
 
It's believed drought ultimately forced them to abandon their homes.   It might not be the most exciting destination for many of you but I've been there a few times and the size of the pueblos never ceases to amaze me.  The largest was three stories tall and had approximately 600 rooms.  The masonry alone is impressive considering they shaped the stones with other stones and some of the rock was hauled a considerable distance. 
 
Anyway an online search will tell you all you wanted to know.  Here's some pictures.
 
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Amazing place, truly awe inspiring. We were there about 12 years ago, then went to Mesa Verde National Park. Fantastic trip. 
 
Nigel said:
Amazing place, truly awe inspiring. We were there about 12 years ago, then went to Mesa Verde National Park. Fantastic trip. 
Click to expand...
 
Yes it's pretty awesome if you're into that kind of thing.  The pueblos you saw are most likely just the tip of the iceberg because there's a lot of known (and unknown) sites in the area they haven't even attempted to excavate yet.  Unfortunately we were pressed for time since we didn't get there until around 4pm so we couldn't see all of it.  There's a couple of prehistoric staircases and various petroglyphs scattered about but those require some hiking and we didn't have time since they lock it up at sunset.
 
If you ever make it back this way there's a bunch of stuff like Chaco to visit.  Both Salmon Ruins and Aztec Ruins are thought to be a product of the same people responsible for construction at Chaco Canyon.  There's also Bandolier National Monument, which cliff dwellers inhabited 11,000 years ago.  And not too far away in Arizona there's Canyon de Chelly, also thought to be built by the Anasazi and/or Navajo (which are probably the same people in reality).
 
EDIT: I forgot Blackwater Draw near Clovis, NM.  It's probably the oldest site in NM, going back almost 12,000 years.
 
I love that place. There is a special feel to it when you are there. My parents dragged us there when were kids because they wanted us to experience the culture. It must have rubbed off on me because my wife and I took our kids there and I then really learned to appreciate what is. Great pics and thanks for sharing. Great memories.
 
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