Pueblo’s on My Mind...
Ancient Cedars RV Park, Mancos, CO
Today’s drive was simple. We traveled through the lush, vast San Luis Valley on Route 160.
It’s obvious the main income for this region comes from farming and ranching. Monte Vista with its old train station and Del Norte with its crane artwork were two smaller, charming towns.
As we climbed up to Wolf Creek Pass, the signs warned trucks to use low gear. My ears started feeling funny??? Wolf Creek Pass at 10,865 feet, marks The Continental Divide. It was followed by some hairpin turns. I couldn’t 👀, so I went to sleep. Dad was really happy to have the graduated braking system for towing; as we went down these steep inclines.
We passed by Treasure Falls before entering the San Juan National Forest with the San Juan River. Pagosa Springs, CO supposedly has the World’s Deepest Hot Springs, we will never know since we just got gas. It really looked like a cute tourist town. We were guessing that thanks to the fast flowing river you could raft through downtown. (All the people walking around carrying rafts were the give away.) It turns out rafting through town is called The Short Run.
The next point of interest was The Chimney Rock National Monument/ “This undiscovered gem is an intimate, off-the-beaten-path archaeological site located at the southern edge of the San Juan Mountains in Southwestern Colorado. You’ll walk in the footsteps of the fascinating and enigmatic Ancestral Puebloans of the Chaco Canyon, following primitive pathways that haven’t changed for 1,000 years. Archaeological structures and artifacts, abundant wildlife, and its setting in the breathtaking San Juan National Forest make Chimney Rock a must-see.
Chimney Rock covers seven square miles and preserves 200 ancient homes and ceremonial buildings, some of which have been excavated for viewing and exploration: a Great Kiva, a Pit House, a Multi-Family Dwelling, and a Chacoan-style Great House Pueblo. Chimney Rock is the highest in elevation of all the Chacoan sites, at about 7,000 feet above sea level. From the base, the hike to the top is just a half mile and it’s rewarded with dramatic 360-degree views of Colorado and New Mexico.”...We might have to come back to see this?
Before we arrived at the Monument we entered the Ute Reservation. As we are discovering, any National Monuments on reservations are completely shut down because of the high Covid outbreaks there.
This part of Route 160 is known as the San Juan Skyway while most of the Skyway is on Route 550. This section passes through the La Plata Mountains, a subset of the San Juan’s at 7,000 feet.
Mom and dad called our Ancient Cedars RV Park an apt name. It’s more than adequate, but it’s rather old and moldy, but absolutely perfect for me!! We couldn’t do too much our first night because of a good, steady rain. This morning mom and I walked down to the office and along the way; I got to meet horses 🐎. They were very big, but friendly. However, I couldn’t entice them into playing with me. Dog gone it! Mom said she was itching to go horseback riding if we can fit it in. (I’m going to guess that dad will stay home with me.)
We started today’s explorations at Canyons of the Ancients Anasazi Historical Center. We visited here before heading to Lowery Pueblo and Hovenweep. Mom packed us food and plenty of water.
In front of the Center is one small, single family Pueblo with a kiva.
It turns out the kiva started out as a men's gathering place for religious ceremonies. Eventually, it became the equivalent to our family room basements; cool in summer and warm in winter.
We walked a very nice paved, handicap accessible path about a half a mile upwards. Keeping in mind, we started at about 7,000’ above sea level. The Escalante Pueblo was built at the top of a smaller mountain overlooking the Dolores River (now, the McPhee Reservoir) and surrounding agriculture valleys below.
The magnificent views took our breath away, so we stayed to eat our lunch and just enjoy the moment. After reading the signage we understood that it had already been abandoned by the time the Spanish explorers arrived around 1776. Archeologists dated it back to around 1120 AD.
Mom loves this signage explaining how well the Native Americans made use of their world. They understood how important it was to take care of this Earth, so it would take care of them...
It turns out going to the Lowery Pueblo reminded M & D of trying to find Hadrian's Wall in the English countryside...lots of gravel/dirt roads; not well marked. (Thank goodness for GPS which M & D didn’t have back on their English roadtrip)
I love just smelling and looking at everything and occasionally chewing up something that looks especially enticing...
I was a bit worried as to where dad was going??? Mom wouldn't let me go with him...Shucks, there might have been some good sticks for chewing in there...
This Pueblo was far bigger than the last one. It was the original HGTV project in that it kept getting remodeled and reconfigured based on the latest needs of the Pueblo. Dad was able to go inside, but mom being claustrophobic stayed outside with me and walked around. Once again this site was perched on top of another mountain side with 360 views of the valleys below.
So grateful that we decided to come out here during this pandemic. It seems to have kept others away, so we are seeing very few travelers. Perfect. As we travel, the Sage Valley,(How ironic?!) the richness of the earth is obvious in the abundant crops of various kinds and how very smart these Natives were. It makes M & D realize just how misguided our ancient history of the Native Americans was!!!
They chose their Pueblo sites well; providing them abundant access to all their needs: building supplies, clothing and diverse food sources that they planted or hunted. One of the unusual facts the archeologists discovered were that the particular tribes that used these sites didn’t eat fish 🐟 or duck 🦆...(Sacrilege to the Northwest Native Americans.)
M & D began to feel like they were on a Scavenger Hunt trying to find some of these sites. These roads also reminded them of the Irish Countryside. At one point, if it wasn’t for dad’s quick reflexes, we would have worn a buck as our hood ornament...The deer blend so well with the environment out here.
Hovenweep National Monument was our next stop. This site has more mask wearing visitors than we have seen yet! However, it’s spread out over numerous acres surrounding Cajon Mesa. The Visitor’s Center was open outside with Rangers answering questions behind a roped off space.
M & D opted for the 45 minute trail around half of the canyon. When we got down there and started on the trail,...between the trails unevenness and the height factor of the canyon, mom freaked. The next thing I knew, dad went on... while mom and I stayed at the overlook enjoying the view from a safer distance.
It was fine with me since I got to stick hunt, then chew; while mom read about this incredible place. It’s so vast that archeologists have investigated it; but not excavated. They suspect that approximately 2,500 people lived here around the late 1200's. They were the ones that built the Twin Towers and other formations that you see in dad's photos. As you can read from the signage, they are lots of guesses why they abandoned these sites...M & D have visited a few of the Pueblos sites that these Anasazi (ancient ones) founded in New Mexico and Arizona.
I love this camp so much!!! It turns out besides my horse buddies, there is muddy stream running through camp's dog park. I'm in Heaven! Why mom thought I needed a partial bath is beyond me!!!
Mom and Dad decided to watch some old movie that they loved, "Raiders of the Lost Ark." I personally thought it was cheezy...so I slept through most of it...
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