Vagaries Abound: New Mexico, Part 1

Dates: 04-09-2021 to 04-11-2021

Having never spent much time exploring NM, we decided to visit some of the more remote locations and cultural sites.

First up was La Cieneguilla Recreation area with some petroglyphs. This area has served as part of a vast trade and travel network, going back to prehistoric times. First used by the native peoples to move valuable trade goods such as copper, tools, luxury goods from Central America to the interior of what is now the USA for thousands of years. Then in the 16th century as part of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Royal road of the interior), the earliest European trans-American trade route that connected Mexico City to New Mexico in the North. Finally becoming part of the famous Route 66.

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That evening our cat decided that she really liked the NM dust.

In between major destinations we visited the Santa Fe NF and and White Rock Overlook.

The geology of this region is heavily shaped by volcanism. This waterfall shows a hundred feet of pyroclastic flows and volcanic ash. Many areas have over a thousand feet of this compressed ash, with various layers having different properties.

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The next major destination was Bandolier National Monument. This valley monument was established to protect extensive cliff dwellings, many dating back nearly a thousand years. Carved directly into the soft tufa (volcanic ash turned into rock), they are a fascinating look into the lives of the prehistoric peoples of North America. While the wood and plaster have long since decayed, the remnants of these extensive building complexes remain.

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In many of the rooms, you can still see the original soot and hand sketches on the walls.

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In a few high places you can spot petroglyphs.

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On the valley floor extensive granaries and storage buildings were excavated.

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Here is a tiny area of plaster that survived (likely over 800 years old). You can imagine these buildings extensively decorated with red, yellow, and black pigments.

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For some odd reason, religious and political leaders love to look down on their populace from on high. At the highest point in the area, in a natural alcove far above the valley floor, is a religious site and likely home for various important peoples.