Aztec Ruins
National Monument
Aztec Ruins
National Monument
Early settlers mistakingly thought that people from the Aztec Empire in Mexico created these striking buildings. They named the site “Aztec,” a misnomer that persisted even after it became clear that the builders were the ancestors of many Southwestern tribes. The people who built at Aztec and other places throughout the Southwest were called “Anasazi” for many years. Archeologists had adopted a word from the Navajo language, that they understood to mean “old people,” and then popularized its use. Most Pueblo people today prefer that we use the term “ancestral Pueblo” to refer to their ancestors.
Aztec Ruins, built and used over a 200-year period, is the largest ancestral Pueblo community in the Animas River valley. Concentrated on and below a terrace overlooking the Animas River, the people at Aztec built several multi-story buildings called “great houses” and many smaller structures. Associated with each great house was a “great kiva”—a large circular chamber used for ceremonies. Nearby are three unusual “tri-wall” structures—above ground kivas encircled by three concentric walls. In addition, they modified the landscape with dozens of linear swales called “roads,” earthen berms, and platforms.
An interesting 700 yard trail leads visitors through the West Ruin, an excavated great house that had at least 400 interconnected rooms built around an open plaza. Its massive sandstone walls tower over 30 feet. Many rooms contain the original pine, spruce, and aspen beams hauled from distant mountains. Archeologists excavated and reconstructed the Great Kiva in the West Ruin plaza, and it now evokes a sense of the original sacred space.
The construction at Aztec shows a strong influence from Chaco Canyon, the site of a major ancestral Pueblo community to the south. Aztec may have been an outlying community of Chaco, a sort of ancillary place connected to the center to distribute food and goods to the surrounding population. Or it mayhave been a center in its own right as Chaco’s influence waned after 1100.
Excavation of the West Ruin in the early 1900’s uncovered thousands of well-preserved artifacts that provide glimpses into the lives of the ancestral Pueblo people . A remarkable variety of food remains, stone and wood tools, cotton and feather clothing, fiber sandals and mats, pottery, and jewelry made of turquoise, obsidian, and shell reveal much about their use of local resources and trade with others.
About 1300 the ancestral Pueblo people left the region, migrating southeast to join existing communities along the Rio Grande, south to the Zuni area, or west to join the Hopi villages in Arizona.
Aztec Ruins National Monument connects people of the past with people and traditions of today. Many Southwestern American Indians today maintain deep spiritual ties with this ancestral site through oral tradition, prayer, and ceremony. The site offers visitors opportunities to learn about these remarkable people and their descendants and to forge connections with the monument’s timeless landscape and stories.
Activities
The visitor center features exhibits and a 25-minute video entitled “Hisatsinom-The Ancient Ones” that is shown several times daily. Books, postcards, slides, posters, and videos are for sale. A trail guide booklet is available to borrow or buy.
Self-Guiding Trail:
A ¼-mile self-guiding trail winds through the West Ruin, the remains of a multi-story pueblo of about 400 rooms. The trail passes through several rooms with intact original roofs, as well as the reconstructed Great Kiva, a round semi-subterranean room once important for community activities. Rangers occasionally give interpretive talks during the summer.
Visitors should allow about 1½ hours to see the exhibits, movie, and to walk the 400 yard paved trail. The monument is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, and from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. the rest of the year. It is closed Thanksgiving , Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Take Pride and Be Safe:
Ruins walls are fragile and crumble easily if walked upon. Please stay on the paved trail and off the walls. Artifacts, plants, and animals should be left undisturbed. No pets are allowed on the trail. Wear sturdy walking shoes. Be aware of low doorways, uneven surfaces, and ice or snow.
Fees:
There is an entrance fee. Children enter free. National Parks Pass, Golden Eagle, Golden Age, and Golden Access Passports are honored and available at the information desk.
Services:
A shaded picnic area with tables is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Food, gas, and lodging are available in nearby Aztec, and in Farmington, about 15 miles away. Campgrounds include Riverside Park, about one mile away; Navajo Lake State Park, 25 miles east; and several other commercial campgrounds within 20 miles.
A TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) is available. Callers should give adequate signals and allow sufficient hookup time (505) 334-6174 then dial 30. The visitor center, restrooms, a picnic table, and portions of the trail are accessible to wheelchairs.
Weather:
Summer temperatures are usually in the 80s and 90s. Afternoon thunderstorms are common during July and August. Fall is usually pleasant, with mild daytime temperatures and crisp nights. Snow usually occurs by Thanksgiving, and falls through the winter. Winter daytime temperatures range from the 20s through 50s, with cold nights. Spring weather is the most variable, with windy days and variable temperatures. Annual precipitation is about 10 inches.
Aztec Ruins National Monument welcomes and encourages teachers and students to use the monument as an "outdoor classroom." Rangers are willing to assist teachers as much as our limited staff allows.
Aztec Ruins National Monument is located on Ruins Road about ¾ mile north of U.S. Highway 550, just outside the town of Aztec, New Mexico.
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