Today we're hiking the Pueblo Alto Trail. The first leg climbs through a passageway to the mesa top once traveled by the ancient Chacon people. Trecking poles are usually a help on a steep up hill. This was more of a rock climb so they were more of a liability. Once on the mesa top, we put them in our packs for the rest of the hike.
Climbing to the top of the mesa on the Pueblo Alto trail.
The Pueblo Alto trail takes you to the Pueblo Bonito overlook.
Approaching Pueblo Alto on the right, New Alto on the left.
On the site of the ancient Chacoan North Road visible from the air but not on the ground.
Admiring the masonry of Pueblo Alto.
This midden mound east of Pueblo Alto contains thousands of pot shards. Chacoan believed distroying an offering sends it from this world to the next.
Indian paintbrush
Cairns marked our way along the mesa.
April 28, 2019
With weather moving in around 1 pm, we planned a short hike before lunch. At the visitors center we saw Jim, the volunteer who was our guide on the Pueblo Bonito tour a few days before. This was his day off and he was going on a quick hike to the "Supernova" Pictograph site. We asked if we could tag along. He really enjoys showing people the canyon.
Along the way we stopped to admire some of the many petrogliphs on the trail.
The little fella almost got stepped on.
The faint image in the red circle is thought to be a representation of Halley's Comet that appeared in 1066,12 years after the supernova in 1054.
Coming next, Our favorite hike in Chaco Canyon, South Mesa.
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