Day 12 - Acoma Pueblo

We had a hard time getting Joan to leave the campground in Santa Fe this morning because she had made so many friends.  However, we finally pulled away around 10:30 a.m. and headed for Acoma Pueblo, which is also known as Sky City because it sits on top of a 370 foot mesa.  Acoma Pueblo is located about an hour west of Albuquerque so we only had about a 2-hour drive before we arrived at the Acoma Pueblo visitor center.

Joan and Bronwyn with Acoma Pueblo in background.

Of the pueblos we have visited over the years, this is our favorite.  The location is amazing and the visitor center and tour of the pueblo are excellent.  Acoma Pueblo was first settled in about 1100 AD, which makes it one of the oldest continually inhabited places in the United States.  The people who live on the mesa top continue to live a very traditional lifestyle without running water or electricity.

The Acoma Pueblo also boasts an impressive adobe mission church, which dates back to 1629.

Perhaps the most impressive thing was the variety of pottery made by the Acoma people.  We could not resist buyinng a tradional bowl.  I just hope it makes it back to Charlotte in one piece because we have had a few things break in the trailer as we traversed bad roads.  Joan could not resist negotiating again, and she got what she wanted at a 60% discount! 

Until modern times, the only access to the pueblo was by a narrow path through cracks in the rocks to the top of the 370 foot mesa.  The path is so narrow and so hidden that Spanish attackers were unable to find any way up the mesa.  After our tour, Joan and Bronwyn led us down the traditional trail to and from the mesa top.  The steps and handholds cut and worn into the rock over the centuries still function amazingly well today. 



While I have taken this trail down before, it is a little unnerving as it is pretty steep.  I told Joan to take it slow and she would be fine.  But inside, I was somewhat anxious.  She resisted initially, but then she went for it.  She was proud when she looked back up to see what she had accomplished.

At the end of the hike back down to the Visitor's Center, Rick surprised me with a beautiful turquoise ring that he purchased from one of the artisans there.  It is sure to evoke memories of this wonderful visit.

Tonight, we are staying at the KOA in Gallup, New Mexico.  PLEASE don't get worried if you don't hear from us for a few days because it is likely that we will not have electricity, internet or cell phone service for the next three nights.  In fact, it might be a week before we have electricity and internet access again.  We will try to do short updates via cell phone, but we may not even have cell phone service for three nights.