Chimney Rock, CO

Not to be confused with the more well-known Chimney Rock, NE, a famous landmark for travelers along the Oregon Trail. I was confused for a bit, though.

Certainly this was also a landmark for long-ago travelers.

But it is the Archaeological Site that is most significant about this Chimney Rock. I'm glad we stopped, as it became the day's adventure.

There are ancient Pueblo ruins up there, and we can go there! You have to take a guided tour, if you want to see everything. First you drive halfway up the mesa on this gravel road behind the tour guide's truck. (I'm washing the dust off the RV tomorrow from all these gravel roads we've been on)

After parking the RV, turning on the generator and AC for the pets, we read about the 2 hiking trails we'll go on to see the ruins. We also had to listen to the safety warnings from the guide.

We learned that the Indians who lived here could communicate with Indians in Chaco Canyon....in the far distance in this photo. They sent signals to people on the top of the mtn. that is closer & they were relayed to the Chimney Rock people.

Artifacts have been found to prove the connection between these groups of people.

The trail to the lower village is paved and easy to walk.

The focal point of this village is the Great Kiva. Don't touch those 1000 year-old walls, please.

The tour guide is a volunteer who has been doing these tours for years. He is very knowledgeable.

Metates, used for grinding corn into corn meal.

You want to try one out?

Here's a recipe for cornbread.

Archaeologists aren't sure what the purpose of this circular hole was, but suspect it had to do with the alignment of the sun at certain times. It is in a line from the Great Kiva to the Chimney Rocks.

These are fossils on ancient shrimp we were told.

We learned that the Pueblos were farmers...

And down there by the river is where they farmed. That distant ridge is significant too.

This sign explains how the sun rose between the two pillars of Chimney Rock on the Spring Equinox. There is another village ruin on that ridge at the point where the sun shines that day.

Now we begin the hike up to the top of the mesa....this climb is steep and rocky.

Hope you brought your water bottle...

Looking back at the laggers.

We can begin to see the ruins at the top.

This chinking is evidence that these Indians were related to those in Chaco Canyon...their building style was the same.

The guide leads the way...step where he steps....not on the 1000 year-old walls.

Some of the rooms...

The arrowhead shape is pointing to a large structure on the distant ridge that has not yet been excavated by archaeologists.

The view

The chimney rocks. It is said that from this viewpoint the moon rises exactly between the pillars only once every 18 years. This fact was significant to those who built their Kiva here.

I did not take this picture...it happened last in 2004 when this picture was taken, and will not happen again until 2022. You'll have to come back then.