Living Our Dream: Visits to Yucca House NM and Four Corners

The other day we decided to visit Yucca House National Monument, had not heard of this park until we looked at the atlas and saw it listed not to far from us. Found information on the internet and drove to it. Instructions to find the place are thus:

We could see this red roofed ranch house miles away - our destination

Have to walk across private property

From Cortez, take Hwy. 491 south approximately 8 miles. •Take a right on MC County Road B (green sign), which is a dirt road one mile south of MC Road C. •Drive 0.8 miles, crossing a paved road (MC Road 21), and take the next dirt road on the right (before the farmhouse on the left). •Follow this road north and west for 1.4 miles, and head towards a white ranch house with a red roof on the west horizon. •Once at the ranch house, Yucca House NM is on the left side if the driveway.

The instructions were spot on. Since we had been exposed to a number of ancient ruins we had an idea what we were looking for. What really got us - this unexcavated area was once home to a pueblo that was over 600 rooms and 100 kivas. And there was an additional pueblo with 8 rooms and a large kiva. Dave said he felt the presence of being in a sacred place. Did not stay long, there was not much to see other than imagining what it would be like. Did find the larger of the 2 pueblos.

Really had to use your imagination - but then, we found the main pueblo

A large pueblo up in hillsdie

Dated around 1270 AD

Yikes!

Aztec springs, one of the 3 springs on-site

Drove back out the same way we came in, and drove on to the Four Corners area. This is on Navajo Land and run by the Navajo Nation. First passed the Ute Indian Casino, lots of people visiting, and then another 20 miles beyond is the Four Corners. We had been at this location 32 years ago and since then it has been built up. Dave talked with a worker bee who was cleaning up an area. Said they are trying to get water and electric to this area and to help boost the tourism. As it was - lots of people visiting. Its the only place in the United States that 4 states touch each other. People straddling the intersection, kind of comical.

To give an idea of the places we visited

Long, lonely road - no ranches/farms to be seen

A big group of these cyclists came in - those buggies are expensive!

On our way back we decided to drive back through McElmo Canyon, the route we took when we visited Hovenweep NM. This time we stopped at the Ismay Trading Post, was begun in 1921 serving the Navajo and Ute people. Even though it looked closed, according to information researched, it is still open catering to the Navajo and Ute Peoples.