23 Jul Puye Cliff Dwellings
The Puye Cliff Dwellings were home to 1,500 Pueblo Indians who lived, farmed and hunted game there from the 900s to 1580 A.D. Inhabitants of Puye Cliff Dwellings then moved into the Rio Grande River Valley. They became ancestors of today’s Santa Clara people, who now live at Santa Clara Pueblo, 10 miles east of Puye Cliff Dwellings.
Puye Cliffs comprises two levels of cliff and cave dwellings cut into the cliff face, as well as dwellings on the mesa top. Over one mile long, the first level runs the length of the base of the mesa. The second level is about 2,100 feet long. Paths and stairways were cut into the face of the rock to connect the two levels and allow people to climb to the top of the mesa.
On the Puye Cliff Dwellings Mesa Top tour you will experience the place between earth and sky, where breathtaking views and a guided tour of the Puye Village will leave you awed and humbled. You will see firsthand the kiva structure, the 140 room ancient home and 360 degree panoramic views of the sacred mountains. Your tour guide will show you the remains of multi-storied dwellings framing a central plaza, providing an insightful glimpse into early pueblo architecture and community life. At the end of the tour, attendees have the option to descend down ladders cliffside, or take the van down. Tour guides offer a van ride up to the mesa top or down from the mesa top.
Travel Time from Santa Fe Convention Center to Puye Cliff Dwellings: 45 min to Puye Cliff Dwellings
Meeting Times: Wednesday Oct. 25 at 1PM
Where to Meet: NM 30 and NM 5, Santa Clara Canyon Rd, Los Alamos, NM
Tour Leader: Joe Chavarria,
Actual Tour Time: 1 hour
Terrain: Flat sandy arroyo
What to Bring: Water, sun-screen, hiking boots, hat
Group Limit: 30
Age Limit: None though walking several miles might be limiting factor
Difficulty Level: Not too difficult for most of the tour, 7 of 10 difficulty on descent down on the latter on cliffside (optional).
Special Directions, Safety Restrictions, etc.: Must be walking on some uneven terrain, and if you choose, climbing a ladder into a dwelling.
More information at https://puyecliffdwellings.com/