Bucket list check. Got to Chimney Rock NM yesterday. But first went to Navajo Lake - what were we thinking? If Vallecito Lake is low, we should have realized that Navajo would also. Nice camp grounds around Navajo Lake but so sad that so many boats on land and not in the water. Colorado had very little snow this past winter - which relates to snow melt filling up the reservoirs. Extremely dry, fire bans for everything.
Looked around a bit at the campground and then decided to head to Chimney Rock NM. About 20 minutes more north and west. We have driven past this monument and said, some day we will stop and look. Glad we did. Tells the story of the Ancient Peoples and how experts THINK that the two large rock chimney-like were used for celestial navigation. Every 18.6 years the moon rise is exactly in the middle of the two spires. The experts also believe that people did not live there full time, but came up to the place for ceremonial activities. Other peoples in the area are Navajo, Utes, Hopi.
Was a tidge rough walking up to the settlement, and very warm. We got there at 11:30 and we were one of the last ones to make it to the top. Impressive. When we left and headed back to Bayfield/Vallecito, we again saw the two spires and said - finally we know what that's about. Worth the stop for those that like history and reading/studying the Ancestral Peoples.
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| Almost there |
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| Made it. Phew |
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| Impressive - can't go any closer |
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