Contact Info
Aztec, NM 87410
- Phone:
- 505-334-6174
Basics
- Location:
- Aztec
- Type:
- Historical Site
- Price:
- Free - $5
Basic Directions
By car: Aztec Ruins National Monument is located on Ruins Road about 1/2 mile north of New Mexico Highway 516, in the City of Aztec, New Mexico.
From Albuquerque/Bloomfield: Follow Highway 550 north into the City of Aztec, turn left at the “T” intersection onto Highway 516, drive 3/4 mile, then turn right immediately after crossing the river onto Ruins Road. Follow Ruins Road ½ mile to the Monument.
From Durango: Follow Highway 550 south into the City of Aztec. Highway 550 will become 516. Follow 516 and turn right immediately after crossing the river onto Ruins Road. Follow Ruins Road ½ mile to the Monument.
From Farmington: Follow Highway 516 east into the City of Aztec; 1/4 mile past Lightplant Road turn left onto Ruins Road. Follow Ruins Road ½ mile to the Monument.
Description
Around 1100 A.D. ancestral Pueblo people embarked on an ambitious building project along the Animas River in northwestern New Mexico. In less than three decades they built a monumental "great house. Aztec West stands three-stories high, stretches longer than a football field and once had as many as 500-rooms including a ceremonial "great kiva over 40-feet in diameter.
A short trail winds through room blocks of this massive site offering visitors a uniquely intimate experience. Along the way discover original roofs intact, ponder intriguing "T shaped and north-facing corner doors, see a reed mat left by early inhabitants and more. The trail culminates by descending into the reconstructed great kiva, a building that inherently inspires contemplation, wonder, and an ancient sense of sacredness.
