Aztec
is a small community 14 miles northeast of Farmington in
northwestern New Mexico, close to the Four Corners.
Throughout this region, the ancient Indian peoples called
the Anasazi built magnificent stone structures -- whole
communities with apartments, ceremonial kivas, and plazas
-- in which they based their culture and
trade.
Farmington
is a major headquarters for the Navajo Nation. The
huge reservation is immediatel;y west and south of the
town, with the huge monolithis "Shiprock" a few miles
west of Farmington, on U.S. Highway 64. Most people
visiting the area stay at a hotel in Farmington
To
get to the two towns from Durango Colorado, drive south
on U.S. 550. From the east, take U.S. 64 from Chama. From
Gallup, to the south, take U.S. Highway 666 north to
Farmington, and then U.S. 550 to Aztec.
What
to See & Do
Aztec
Ruins National Monument
The
Monument is one of the largest and best-restored ruins of
the Anasazi culture, named by mistaken pioneers who
believed that the former inhabitants were Aztec Indians
from Mexico. A pueblo with several hundred rooms has been
partially uncovered, and a portion is intact. The Great
Kiva, a stupendous 48-foot-wide round chamber set into
the ground, is the largest such structure excavated to
date. It has been fully restored.
The
Visitor Center, with a small museum, is located at the
park entrance. A self-guided tour leads from the visitor
center through the pueblo ruin and into the Great Kiva.
Aside from the normal park service brochure on the
monument, the center has an excellent trail guide that
will guide you through the two main structures. This
small booklet, with color pictures and drawings of the
stone construction techniques, is not only a good tool
while visiting the park but also provides a brief history
of the Anasazi. Picnic tables are located under the
shelter of a grove of cottonwoods next to the
ruins.
Navajo
Lake
This
is the state's largest reservoir, backing up the waters
of the San Juan River for more than 30 miles. A
pinyon-juniper forest borders the lake. This is a popular
spot for boating, fishing (for trout, catfish, and bass),
and swimming. There is a marina with boat ramps,
houseboat rentals, and camping supplies. There are three
recreation sites located around the lake, all toward the
southern end. Closest to Aztec is the San Juan River
Recreation Area (via Route 511). The Pine River
Recreation Area is also along Route 511, at the mouth of
the Los Pinos River. Sima Mesa Recreation Area is farther
to the east, via Highway 64 and then north to the lake on
Route 527.
Aztec
Museum
The
museum features an exhibit of pioneer Americana that
include several old buildings -- a general store, a
pioneer cabin, the doctor's and sheriff's offices, a
blacksmith's shop and foundry, and a church.
Salmon
Ruins & Farmington Museum
One
of the region's larger prehistoric Indian sites, the ruin
is located just south of Farmington, overlooking the San
Juan River. It is thought to have been built by the
Anasazi and occupied by later groups during the ninth and
tenth centuries. There is an on-site museum and
archeological research center. The museum features
artifacts from the excavated ruins, and a self-guiding
trail leads to them. The Farmington Museum has exhibits
on the more recent cultural and pioneer history of the
area.
Navajo
Indian Reservation
Shiprock
-- the volcanic monolith -- rises more than 1,700 feet
into the sky west of Farmington. The huge rock lies
within the Navajo Indian Reservation, which takes up
large parts of Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. The rock is
said by the resident natives to have spiritual
properties. South of Farmington, Highway 371 passes
across a high mesa where the Navajo farm an enormous
tract of land, thanks to extensive amounts of irrigation
water from the San Juan River.
Chaco
Culture National Historic
Park
is situated within the Reservation, and is reached by
taking State Route 371 south from Farming, or (better) by
driving east from Farming to Bloomfield (13 miles) and
then turning south onto State Route 44, and then taking
State Route 57 at Blanco Trading Post, to the park. This
is the best preserved of the great Anasazi communities,
that once dominated Southwest life.
