Chaco Canyon prospered, from A.D. 850 to 1250, (close to 2,000 years ago!) Once you arrive, there is a one way road that allows you to drive to various sites that comprise the massive complex that was once populated by 800 - 1200 people. I kept reminding myself that it still exists, just differently. When you walk through the doorways of the partial remains, time drains from your mind and body. I kept asking myself how it was possible that I grew up in this country and have traveled to all corners of the world to see ancient ruins but I didn’t even know that Chaco Canyon existed. 

Today people assume it was difficult to thrive in this harsh, barren landscape, but perhaps the climate was more forgiving and the landscape more lush at that time. Using sophisticated masonry techniques, the ancestral Pueblos built huge multi story stone buildings, known as “Great Houses,” of which a dozen remain with the fading intricate massive road systems they built… that preserved their present for our future.

The most impressive structure from this ancient culture was Pueblo Bonito, a semi-circular edifice that had more than 650 rooms… It was their cultural and commerce center... Some of the structures had more than six hundred rooms, numerous two-and three-story buildings, several ceremonial structures called kivas.

These extensive ruins are one of the greatest architectural achievements of the North American indigenous people. The site was the main social and ceremonial center of Anasazi culture. We do not actually know what these people called themselves; the word Anasazi is a Navajo word meaning variously "the ancient ones" or "the enemies of our ancient fathers".

Another fascinating feature of Chaco Canyon are the petroglyphs, which pop out unexpectedly as you walk throughout the area. Following the appropriately-named Petroglyph Trail, hundreds of tiny pictures carved into the rocks tell the story of the people who lived there and what life was like centuries ago. Some petroglyphs are easy to spot and decipher, such as animals and birds; others you must search for, which makes the journey on the path all the more exciting. These images will have you questioning if otherworldly beings may have visited our planet and been documented by our ancestors. You don’t have to believe in aliens to question how to interpret the petroglyphs, but a walk along the Petroglyph Trail is a great way to challenge yourself to see through the eyes of those who walked the land before us.

Sadly, irreplaceable cultural resources in New Mexico are among those areas targeted for expedited drilling. Conservationists say it’s ‘like losing pages and chapters of that history book’.