Yucca House National Monument

I recently visited the Yucca House. I was less then impressed. It is very difficult to find. If you are really really really interested in Native American sites then I would take the time to find this one. However, if you are like me somewhat interested I wouldn't waste my time. For those who wish to visit this site that has yet to be developed make sure you stop in the Cortez Visitor Center so you can get directions on how to find it. A GPS will work, but you have to go down some dirt roads into a persons property, park on their property and then walk out to the site. Since it has not been developed there is no fee and just a pile of rubble at this time. I am in strong support of the parks developing this site in order to preserve it. I just wish they had more information on how to help put funds towards developing it into a National Monument. Beware of snakes while you are walking around this area.

Hovenweep National Monument

Somewhere on the border of UT and CO you will find Hovenweep National Monument. This is a great place to go for a 2 mile hike, but it is the only hike at the park. I would consider it mild hiking, but there area few steep steps to get down and up in order to do the entire trail. I really enjoyed this trail because it allows you to see all of the sites in the park while getting some serious exercise. I would not attempt this trail without lots of water. There are benches along the way which are shaded and strategically placed. I was lucky the weather was perfect 80 degrees. Not too hot. I think this is one of the nicer ruins to visit in the area. Good exercise. Be sure to bring a lunch. There is a visitor center here, but no food. It is about a 1/2 hour to Cortez, CO from here. I would do this hike again. Very beautiful. I am not sure I would take young kids on it. The path skirts a canyon on either side all the way. It is very tempting to go near the edge. I was tempted many times.

South West Whitewater

Yesterday I went and visited Durango, CO. It is a fun mountain town. Great downtown area and lots of things to do. There is a steam train you can take to Silverton, CO. I plan on taking this a little later in the season. Perhaps fall. I opted to go whitewater rafting. I checked out several of the companies in the area. I decided to go with South West Whitewater. The price was reasonable. $30.00 for 2 hours or $40.00 for 4hours which includes a meal stop along the way. I decided 2 hours. I have always wanted to take a whitewater trip in Colorado being this is where I am from and never have. So now was the time. I was by myself but that didn't matter everyone was very welcoming and accommodating. I ended up on a raft with a couple and a guide so only 3 of us not a lot of weight, but that didn't matter the guide was very experienced and she did an excellent job of guiding. We hit some hard core rapids my favorite kind. Just going into a wall of water is the greatest feeling on Earth. The best time of year to go is right after the snow melts. I am a little late but not at all disappointed the river was kind to us. The big Kauna was my favorite rapid to crest, felt like flying. I haven't been on a whitewater trip since 2000 in ME on the Kennenbeck. Anyway, I highly recommend doing this activity. The Los Animas River is perfect for it. So if you are in Durnago and and have a few hours to kill what better way to do it, then get out on the river!

Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Typically I blog about hiking and parks, but I thought I would take a break and relax. While visiting my boyfriend in Pagosa Springs, CO we went to this wonderful spa resort. There are several in the area. Although it looks expensive, it was quite reasonable and well worth every penny. $20 for the day. Bring your own towel and water otherwise you pay additional for these items. They do have bathing suits available for purchase if you forget yours. We were there on a Sunday and decided to go in the evening. It was open until midnight. There so many different pools of different temperatures all along the river. The views are spectacular and the pool "Blue Lagoon" is wonderful. My favorite pool had to be the Columbine at 107 just the right temp for me. So if you are driving through make a stop and relax. They also have white water rafting in the area, and a wonderful river walk. We went down to the river earlier it was a tad cold since the recent snow melt. A wonderful spot to sit, climb around on the rocks or play in the pools on the side. I highly recommend this spot.

Mesa Verde National Park

I have been living at Mesa Verde National Park this season. It is a beautiful park to visit, I highly recommend it in late spring early fall. It is a way to go back in time and see some amazing ruins of the Pueblo tribe. There is nowhere else in the world or USA like this area. When I mean area I mean 4 corners and NM. After hiking all of the trails in the park here are my recommendations:

Petroglyph trail is amazing. It is very strenuous. And when I say strenuous there are lost of steps made out of stone, crevices to crawl through and a little bouldering. There is only one Petroglyph on the trail once you reach it you are at the 1/2 way point. The trail is 2.4 miles long. Don't turn back once you reach the Petroglyph it gets easier. You have to boulder and then another set of stairs but once you reach the top it is a flat walk all the way back. The view is spectacular. You are actually walking on top of the Spruce Tree House. The picture taking phenomenal. I took this hike at 3:30 pm. Make sure you take plenty of water and sun screen. My friend and I did not finish until 6:00pm. It is one of my favorite trails to hike, but you should be in good shape, if you have a heart conditions or serious knee problems, fear of heights, or don't like squeezing into small crevices then I don't recommend it.

Spruce Tree House: Is the only ruin other then Far View Sites that you can visit without a tour. It is worth the hike. Well shaded at the bottom and you get a great experience seeing the ruins up close and walking among them.There is a Kiva there to go into to get an idea of how it was. A ranger is posted at Spruce Tree House to answer any questions you may have. There is a site map you can pick up from the ranger or at the box located at the beginning of the trail. There is a fee to use the trail map. This is my second favorite site in the park for ruins.

Spruce Tree Canyon: This hike is also 2.4 miles. It is step descent into the canyon. There is shade on this trail which is very nice. When you get down to the creek bed make sure you have plenty of bug spray the mosquitoes are in full force in the early summer. Take lots of sun screen because once you get out of the base of the canyon it is all sun and all up hill for almost a mile. I found this to be much more of a workout then Petroglyph. There is no gradual ascent it is all up hill in the heat. I was not very fond of this trail. I would not hike it again. But for those of you looking for a place to get good exercise or shade it is a good spot.

Far View Sites: Meandering through the ruins at Far View is about a 1 mile hike if you visit all of the ruins. The Coyote ruins are one of the few in the park that you can walk among and actually be in the ruins. I think it is best to hike this area towards evening as it is cooling down the photos are better. Mummy Lake is the reservoir. It is tricky my friend and I followed the sign for Mummy Lake and never found it. Turns out that the dried up reservoir that the natives used is actually "Mummy Lake" go figure. I recommend this trail to those who are interested in the history of the Pueblos as well as looking for a gradual walk that doesn't feel like you are hiking.

Balcony House: Awesome! On this tour you get to crawl through two tunnels very short, and go up a ladder that feels like you are in the air. I love that! If you are not one for heights or small places I don't recommend this tour. However, you can also view the Balcony House from Soda Canyon trail.

Soda Canyon: I wouldn't waste my time there are far better hikes to be hiked. It is a brief walk to three overlooks. One looks out towards Balcony House the other two into the canyon. It is a similar view from the one you might get from Long House, or anywhere else in the park.

Cliff Palace: A favorite and I can see why. It is a great tour of the largest city of ruins in the area. Amazing. You have to go on a Ranger tour to get into this area, but you can view it from the overlook. There are some steep steps going down and the only way out is to take three ladders up. If you have heart condition, bad knees, or any serious health problems I do not recommend this tour. Make sure you have lots of water. I took this tour in the evening and the temperature was just right. I would not recommend it in the afternoon with the sun beating against the ruins. If you only have time for one tour take this one.

Long House: The Wetherill Mesa to me is one of the most impressive parts of the park. Not many tourists come out here, but they should. There are several different trails to hike. The long house is a very nice tour. You can get your tickets at the Visitor Center before you head out. It is a hour drive from the visitor center to Long House so give yourself plenty of time. There is only one ladder to climb on this tour and you have the opportunity to sit up inside the ruins whereas on the other tours this is not the case. It is a steep decent but there are no steps involved and there is a altitude change. For those of you coming from lower elevations be sure to bring lots and lots of water to avoid altitude sickness.

Step House: Don't waste your time unless you just want to take a hike. It is about a mile. I was not overly impressed with this site. The hike is pretty, but if you only have a day in the park I would choose another site to visit. There are very few ruins to look at and they are not as intact as Long House, Cliff Palace, Spruce Tree, or Far View Sites.

Prater Ridge Loop Trail: If you are up for some serious hiking this is the trail to take at Mesa Verde. It is 6 miles long if you do the complete loop which I did. It is located at Moorfield Campground. There is an area to park you car. The beginning of the trail is switch backs which lead you up to the top of the mesa. The rest of the hike is mostly level. The views are spectacular. You can see for miles. On a clear day like the one I hiked on you could see the Rockies in the distance. Just beautiful. Make sure you take plenty of water and some snacks. It took me about 4.5 hours to hike. I started on the trail around 8:30. So if you are looking for a great day hike, I would highly recommend this trail.

Point Lookout hike: Awesome, best hike in the park. It is only 2 miles round trip of steep switch backs, but once you reach the top it will blow your mind. The view is just amazing. Not only that but you are standing on the very edge of the top of the Mesa you see as you enter into the park. Hiking poles are recommended for those of you who have week knees like mine. A snack is a good idea. This trail is located near the campground. If you are up for a short and steep hike, it is very rewarding.

Knife Edge Trail: This trail is a nice easy hike 2 miles round trip great views, I would recommend it for anyone who likes to walk. It is short and easy. I would take young kids on this hike.

Aztec Ruins National Monument, Aztec NM

Aztec Ruins National Monument is literally located inside of Aztec, NM. It is a great place to visit. One can easily meander through the ruins. There is a self guided tour you can pick up from the front desk once you have paid. It is helpful to learn more about this particular culture and area. You are allowed to walk into the ruins and in and out of the doorways in some locations to get an idea of what it was like. A lot of the structures have been worked on to preserve the area and allow guests to walk among them. This tour only took me about 45min. If that . There is the option of a ranger program in the Kiva that was built by the park. I choose not to see this.

I would not recommend visiting this site in the heat of the summer. For me I would love to return in the spring or fall. I think it would be a okay to bring young children here because they are allowed to walk among the ruins and go into the Kiva. It is also a very short walk which is good for smaller children.

The area is somewhat wheelchair accessible if you are willing to go down dirt paths, and not go into the ruins.

Chaco Culture Natioanal Historical Park

Chaco Cultural Historical National Park is located outside of Farmington, NM. It is a beautiful park once you get there. Getting there is not so hot. There are 13 miles of unpaved gravel, dirt, sand, and washboard road to cover before you reach the gate to the park. It is really rough so for those of us including myself, who drive smaller vehicles it takes a long time to get there. Most of the time I was doing 7 miles an hour. At the gate it is paved again. I drove from Mesa Verde to this park and it took me 3.5 hours. Since I did not have much time for exploring, I chose to walk through the Pueblo Ruins which were amazing. These are some of the few Native American Ruins I have been able to actually walk through the doorways which are very low. I do not recommend visiting this area in the heat of the summer there is no shade. After tooling around here for a bit, my friend and I decided to hike to the top of Pueblo Bonita Mesa. If you are up for a strenuous hike and I mean three points of contact sort of hike this is the one. You must get a permit to do this hike, but they are provided in the box at the trail head. It starts of with some serious boulders to get around. Even poles can't help you here. Then you skinny through and amazing canyon and get out on the mesa. There is a bit of a hike from this point to the overlook, but it is well worth it. This hike is not meant for those with heart conditions, knee problems, or fear of heights. You have to come back down the way you went up. The views are spectacular. If I could have stayed longer I would have taken the Petroglyph trail that is 6 miles round trip, but I would need to spend the night. There is a campground here. If you only have a day and are really interested in the history I would take the time to explore that. A great teaching area. Ranger interpretive programs are offered as well. If I were going to return to this park I would come in the fall.

This park can be fun and educational for kids. They are allowed to climb in and out of the ruins and there are some great trails to where them out. I wouldn't take any children under the age of 8. As for wheelchair access not so much.

Petroglyphs National Monument

The Petroglyphs are located on the outskirts of Albuquerque, NM. If you are visiting the city take the time to go visit the Petroglyphs. They are like taking a walk back in time. My friend and I went here back in February, a perfect time to visit. Nice and cool. There are several trails to hike each are located a drive away from the visitor center. But all are worth it. One of the longer hikes is a flat path with no shade whatsoever. It is a beautiful walk. While walking among all of these boulders, you can find hidden pictures i.e. the petroglyphs. It is sort of like playing "Where's Waldo?". I think it would be a great hike for all ages. I would highly recommend it to anyone teaching home school courses on Native Americans.

I returned to the area in late February to take the next hike. The trail was located NE of the visitor center. Here my friend and I hiked to the top of a mesa. A great workout, mostly paved. A bit of a climb, but overall a great way to get to an interesting view. On one side you see the city of Albq and on the other prairie. It is sort of sad visiting here, because of the amount of civilization the has built up around this sacred ground. Sometimes I wish, as humans, we could leave more areas untouched.

This is a great monument to visit and one of the few places I have visited where you can get close enough to the pictures to touch them, but I don't and you should not either. It is just nice to be able to view them so closely. If you do decide to go take plenty of water, and a hat. I do not recommend this area in the summer heat, but once again it is the Irish in me talking. I highly recommend visiting in winter, spring, or even fall.

Grand Teton National Park

Grand Teton is a spectacular National Park. It is one of my favorite parks to visit. Many people just drive through this majestic park on their way to get to Yellowstone. Never stopping to explore it. Well, I will tell you this STOP! is is well worth it. The hiking here is incredible. Inspiration point is truly inspiring. It is about a 4 mile hike with a steep climb in elevation. I recommend poles. If you look around while hiking you are bound to see Yellowbellied Marmots, Pika, and more. While living at the border of this park for 6 months, I explored numerous trails: Grand View, Inspiration Point, Swan Lake, and more. So take the time to take a hike. Besides if you want to see moose go to Moose Junction, Jackson Lodge, or take a walk in the early morning. Keep your distance they are an impressive, but still dangerous animal. One of my favorite animals to hunt for (I only hunt with my camera). I have captured some beautiful "moose moments." The Grand Tetons is also a wonderful place to view Bison, Elk, and Bear. I have seen all of these creatures while hiking around in this area. If you go try to stay a few days maybe back country camp, rock climbing, mountain biking, or take a Ranger Walk. All are great activities. If you like hot springs go out to Antelope Flats near Kelly.There is a nice warm spring out there. I have talked a great deal about the wildlife, but what really makes this park so unforgetable are the Tetons themselves. This mountain range makes me feel like I am in the Alps. Although I have never been there. In the spring time when all of the flowers are exploding like fireworks, it is almost unreal. Springtime usually takes place in June or July depending on the snow melt. If you are a nature lover then see Tetons.

Diablo Canyon

Diablo Canyon is located about 20-30 minutes outside of Santa Fe. It is a beautiful place to go hiking, but be prepared to do a lot of hiking on sand. Take lots of water. There is no trail and most people tend to hike the dried up river bed which will eventually lead to the Rio Grande if you are up for a very long hike. I have been to this location twice now. Once during the winter and once in the spring. It looks like a great place to take your dog. I have only encountered a few people on this trail most have had a dog with them. It is cool and well shaded in the canyon walls and looks like the ideal place to go rock climbing, which I would like to return to do. Once out of the Canyon it is all sun. So if you are like me and require shade and cool temps I wouldn't recommend this trail in the summer. However it is perfect for winter and spring.

I have have seen people set up tents out here. It would not be my first choice for camping. There is just something about camping in a river bed that does not appeal to me. Perhaps too many years of teaching hiking and camping safety. I have also worked in the Park system. It is hard for me to advise camping in areas that are not somewhat monitored by Rangers or Park Officials. I guess after having seen and been on a few rescues it changes ones perspective. But in any case it is a neat place to hike. To get out to Diablo Canyon you will travel on a dirt road for several miles. It is all washboard once you reach the parking lot be careful of the pot holes or craters. Enjoy the canyon there is no charge. Take a friend.

Tent Rocks a Hidden Treasure

This place is amazing. A hidden little treasure indeed. It is on the Pueblo Reservation just South of Santa Fe, NM off I-25. I had never even heard of this National Monument. It is so amazing. Probably my favorite park so far in the New Mexico area. There are several hikes here. One of the hikes is about 5 miles round trip. It weaves in and out of canyon walls that remind me of something you would only find in a Sifi movie. There are so many alien looking features. The hike to the top is strenuous. If you have knees like mind bring knee braces and poles for the decent back down. Once you reach the top the view is absolutely inspiring. I was so glad to have plenty of water and a snack. It is a windy trail to the top. There is shade along the way but sunscreen is a must for my fair Irish skin. I would not recommend hiking this trail in the summer. I went in April and it was a nice cool breeze but summer would be brutal. If you are not up for such an intense and amazing hike, then I recommend the Cave Loop it is moderate and one gets to see a great deal of tent shaped rocks, that to me resemble a Hershey Kiss gone slightly wrong. They are amazing to view and remind me of the area you might come across the sand people in Star Wars. The Cave itself was a bit disappointing to me, because I use to teach caving. But it is a nice little hole in the wall. I would give this park stars and return again and again. If you aren't up for hiking there is a road you can take to the top of the mesa. It is paved for a while then turns to dust. I had no trouble getting up this curvy dirt road with lots of rocks. For those of us who drive a Yaris or other compact car if you take it slow you can make it with no problem. It has a wonderful view of the canyon. One can really see the tent peaks from this vantage point. Tent Rocks is an fantastic park if you want to really explore all the trails and drive to the top give yourself several hours to be there.

Pecos National Monument

Pecos National Monument is located East of Santa Fe by about 30 minutes. It is an interesting structure. A short hike wheelchair accessible. When I say short hike I mean about 1 mile. For some that is a long hike. Easy walk. You can go inside of two kivas. I would not recommend this site for children. There is just not much to see. Very vast and aside from a few historical structures that is it. If you are into history or providing a historical program for homeschooling . I would also recommend the Puye Cliffs which I will blog about later. If you do visit this site outside of Glorieta,NM and are heading North on I-25 towards Las Vegas, NM you can also get into Fort Union on the same pass.

Bandelier National Park

I have been to most of the National Monuments and Parks of New Mexico in the last few months while living here. So far I would say of the parks I have seen Bandelier is impressive. It is a park I have wanted to visited for some time because my grandfather had part in helping build some of the buildings many many years ago.

The hike around the cliff dwellings is like being taken back in time. I love the fact that you can climb the ladders into the dwellings. As a kid I have always wanted to do this, but when I visited Mesa Verde as a child you could not climb into the dwellings. The hike is beautiful and seeing pine trees again is something to marvel at when one gets so use to see the cursed Juniper (which I am allergic to). If you visit this park, be sure you walk all the way to the Alcove House. That is just awesome. There are several ladders to climb which is so much fun. I mean really who doesn't want to climb a wooden ladder that looks athentic. If you have a fear of heights there is not better time to overcome it, because the view is breathtaking. Oh and at the top in the outcropping there is a Kiva to climb down into. It is a great spot for lunch.

Throughout my park visits I have acquired a National Park pass. If you want to find out more about this amazing pass just type in National Park Pass in the search window. There is also a Senior Pass for those of you who are 65 or older. It only costs about $10 and is good for the rest of your life at any park. You can also learn more by visiting any National Park or monument. It is well worth it.

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Great Sand Dunes National Park located outside of Alamosa, CO. It is a wonderful place to visit. There are several ways to get into the park. The easiest by far is by way of Alamosa. But if you are up for a serious 4 wheel adventure there are some other ways coming in from Westcliff, CO. I drive a Yaris and it handles great in mud, snow, and rocky roads, but it stops when the road requires 4-wheel drive. If you get off on Colony Rd a dirt road that takes you to the base of the San De Cristo Mountains then you can go through the pass into the park. After speaking with one of the Rangers at Great Sand Dunes I was informed that no one has taken that route since the 1970's. So I challenge anyone out there with 4 wheel drive to take it this summer and get back to me. I would have love to have taken it.

Once you arrive there is a fee to get in of course. Which is why I travel with the National Park pass book and pass. It is $80 for the year pass, but it will get you into any National Park, National Monument, Federal Lands, and the BLM for a year without any costs. As much as I visit the parks I have already paid for mine.

Make sure you give yourself a day to visit if you want to hike to the top of the dunes. It is a real workout. If you are the adventurous type and feel up to it sledding is the bomb. As long as the sand is a bit wet. I don't recommend any metal bottom sleds that might get a tad bit hot. Depending on the time of year. The scenery here is breathtaking, but take all your pictures from the parking lot or trails. DON'T take your camera with you to hike the dunes, because if the wind is blowing it blows sand into the camera lens. That is no fun to try and clean out, plus it fills your camera case with sand. I learned this the hard way. But I also discovered that if you use the air spray for your computer key board on the camera it blows most of the sand right out. FYI.

This would also be a great place for kite flying. If I had kids I would take them to the sand dunes to sled, hike and fly kites. They would be so worn out at the end of the day. I recommend this destination for a family, couples, or individual trip.

Capulin Volcano National Monument

Recently I just visited Capulin Volcano National Monument. It is an amazing hidden treasure just 30 minutes East of Raton, NM. If you are resident of Raton you should really go and see this amazing monument. It is a volcanic cone that you can drive to the top of. The road is steep with a few switchbacks. If you have a fear of heights, this may not be for you. Once you reach the top there is a large parking lot. On a clear day you can see four different states. I was lucky enough to arrive on a clear day in April. The view was spectacular. I felt like I was in an airplane looking down from the window seat flying over TX, OK, NM, and Eastern Colorado. At the top of the Volcano there is a trail to walk the rim. If you are in good shape and do not get altitude sickness, then hike it! The altitude is around 7,800 feet roughly. It is very breezy so take an extra layer. The path is paved and there are some serious uphill climbs, but not to worry for those of us with bum knees there are benches along the way. Oh don't forget the binoculars! The trail is about 1.5 miles all the way around the rim. This is the only volcano I have been to that I could actually walk the entire rim in one day. Keep your eye out for mule deer. Oh if you have extra time there is a short trail to the base of the volcanic cone.

Side note: The picnic area is a great stop for lunch and if you are there you might as well hike the short loop trail. It is a mild hike. Poles are of use if you have bad knees. Overall, for a $3.00 entrance fee, I would say it is well worth the money to take the time to explore it. Give yourself at least 3-4 hours. When I went I had the rangers honking at me to get off the trail, because the park was closing and I didn't realize it. So if you don't want to be run off by the rangers just be aware of the time. The Rangers were extremely pleasant when I did come off the trail. I really appreciate all that they do.