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El Morro National MonumentNPS photo of tiger salamander in the pool by Calvin Chimoni
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El Morro National Monument
The Pool
Before the days of interstates and automobiles, a journey from Albuquerque to Zuni (about 150 miles) typically took 9 or 10 days. Imagine the relief travelers must have felt when they reached this shady little oasis after walking or riding a horse for days across mountains, desert and lava rocks. Hundreds of years before Spanish conquistadores passed by here, the pool’s dependable water supply encouraged the settlement of Puebloan people on top of the bluff. After centuries of continuous human use, the pool today is used only by local wildlife taking advantage of its refreshing waters.
 
Image of the pool at El Morro
NPS Photo
Image of pueblo ruin site at El Morro National Monument  

Did You Know?
It is estimated that the mesa-top pueblo at El Morro National Monument contained about 875 rooms. However to see it is deceiving—only a small corner of the pueblo was ever excavated.

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Last Updated: July 02, 2008 at 16:48 EST