We were exploring the rim of Chaco Canyon when we came across this raven perched on the canyon wall hundreds of feet above the valley floor. Teig and I sat near him and he was not bothered by us. I loved his dark form contrasted to beautiful canyon walls. It was calming to watch him relax an the rims edge and the vast canyons stretch into the distance.
Fajada Butte in Chaco Canyon
Waking up to a beautiful sunrise and this view in Chaco Canyon National Monument gets me motivated to saunter around the Colorado Plateau in northwest New Mexico.
Chaco Canyon Pueblo Alto Ruins
Exploring the Pueblo Alta trail on the mesa at Chaco Canyon leads you to a wonderful ruin sitting lonely on the crest of a hill. Pueblo Alto Ruins are the highest ruins in the park and don’t have the pressure of tourists as the others because you have to climb a winding trail up the canyon walls then a couple mile stretch of the legs to the ruins but it is well worth the trip. I made it there in the early afternoon on a beautiful fall day just before Thanksgiving.
Cliffs above Pueblo Bonito
Teig and I spent an autumn day exploring Chaco Canyon National Monument in northwest New Mexico. We hiked the desert mesa and learned about the Anasazi Indians that settled the area between 800 and 1400 ad. We decided to hike the cliffs above one of the main pueblos. We were surprised by this beautiful view from a few hundred feet above Pueblo Bonito. We truly love New Mexico and it’s wonderful history, culture and landscape.