A history-filled park awaits you in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  This beautiful site is part of the National Park Service and is often overlooked for more exciting ventures at Bandelier and Petroglyph National Monuments.  You do not want to skip this one though.  It has so much to offer!
You’ll begin at the Visitor Center, as with most parks, of course. Â It’s always a good idea to start here in case of unexpected occurrences that are happening at the park that day. Â A bonus to this visitor center is the museum which is filled with artifacts and information about this parks past.
The Trail
One of the beautiful things about Pecos National Historical Park is the 1.25 mile, paved trail that takes you through the ancestral area of the park. Â Before you leave out the back door of the visitor center, ask for a trail guide. Â The park lets visitors borrow these guides to help both educate and allow self-paced exploration of the park.
As you begin your hike, you’ll notice that the park sits in a very interesting place. Â On one side, the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and on the other, Glorietta Mesa. Â A picture of both wisdom and beauty by the people who once lived here. Â By positioning themselves here, they are not only protecting themselves on both sides, but also making it easier to find all they need to survive. Â
Pueblos
A mighty village of pueblos is one of the first things you’ll experience on this hike. Â (The very first thing being a glimpse of The Mission, but more on that later.). These ruins once stood four to five stories high and had over 600 rooms. This was a thriving community full of people.
Kiva
As you travel down the trail, you notice something sticking up out of the ground.  It’s a ladder giving access to a Pueblo Ceremonial Room.  These kiva’s were used to celebrate, work, or even to cure the sick.  Many communities had several kiva’s.  This was the first park that we were able to actually go down into the kiva via ladder.  They have a large kiva at Aztec Ruins National Monument but the entrance is different.  One thing to note is during the summer months it gets quite hot and rattlesnakes like to venture down into the kiva to keep cool so make sure to watch out for that.
The Mission
You’re making your way along the trail, seeing the beautiful views of the mountains and mesa and then you come to The Mission. Â You caught a glimpse of this earlier on the trail and now it’s time to get up close and experience it. Â This is the remains of four churches built over a 100 year period. Â You’re allowed to walk all around, in, and through the church. Â You can see the careful construction, the alter, and what a great view they have. Â Excavation and discovery are still happening on site today so there will be more to experience in the future.
The guide that you borrowed from the visitor center tells the beautiful story of this historical park. Â Far better than I ever could. Â It’s worth it to pick one up, but don’t forget to return it when you’ve finished the trail.
Consider the Wonders is a travel blog intended for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV, travel, or hiking experts and are not making recommendations. These are our opinions and you should do your own research and make your own decisions.
Consider the Wonders is not affiliated with Pecos National Historical Park or the National Park Service.
Comments are closed