Pueblos: The Buildings

2025-09-04
CO, UT

Today I shifted across the state of Colorado so that I could see some real pueblos. The first stop was Chimney Rock National Monument which just happened to be on the way. It is a splinter site of the Chaco people that was occupied for 200 years and then suddenly everyone moved on. This happened about 900 years ago. The site itself is up on the top of a narrow cliff although we don't know why. No way they could feed themselves with no farmland. They had to haul the stone up a near-vertical hill a hundred feet or more, and of course almost all the water consumed there had to be brought up probably from the valley several hundred feet below. Why build in this unsustainable location? Lots of mysteries that will likely never be unraveled.

Kiva view of the Great House
Kiva view of the Great House
The rest of the Great House. To go between rooms you might have to climb up and go over the roof.
The rest of the Great House. To go between rooms you might have to climb up and go over the roof.
The actual Chimney Rocks. So far, placement near them seems coincidental.
The actual Chimney Rocks. So far, placement near them seems coincidental.

The Canyon of the Ancients Visitor Center seemed like a good place to get my bearings before heading to CotA. I got some hike advice and visited the museum (free with my National Park Pass) to see some of the actual artifacts dug up in the various sites around the Canyon of the Ancients National Monument.

Next up was a stop at Lowry Pueblo which was only a few miles out of my way. It's had a lot of preservation done so it is standing pretty well. You can step inside to see the Kiva which is protected. I had the place to myself, although the small parking lot attests to that not being a rare occurrence.

Lowry Pueblo lets you get up close and personal
Lowry Pueblo lets you get up close and personal
The bits of original plaster and wood are the reason for the modern roof. There was actually a pattern mural in this kiva but efforts to preserve it in place failed so what remains of it are at the Canyon of the Ancients museum
The bits of original plaster and wood are the reason for the modern roof. There was actually a pattern mural in this kiva but efforts to preserve it in place failed so what remains of it are at the Canyon of the Ancients museum
A Great Kiva. That just means a diameter greater than 60 feet, as compared with the smaller ho-hum kivas I suppose.
A Great Kiva. That just means a diameter greater than 60 feet, as compared with the smaller ho-hum kivas I suppose.

Finally I found my way to Hovenweep National Monument which is on a corner of CotA. I'm not sure why they are separate Monuments. I do know that only Hovenweep has a campground which I booked while waiting for my oil change. I did unintentionally manage to book only one night, but luckily it was pretty easy to revise it on the Recreation.gov app. This place is far from full.

A thunderstorm rolled in overnight, sending me to my car for a while. The lightning never got to this location, but you can't tell and they move fast. It reminds me of the first time I set up my tent in a real campground, at Theodore Roosevelt on my first road trip. Shortly after I pitched it, a thunderstorm rolled through, complete with hail the size of Milk Duds. (Side note: we need a better scale for hail than pea, golf ball, and softball.) I hope this is a good omen.

Hiking distance: 1.3 miles

previous next