New Mexico Outdoor
Roughing It In Luxury-Abiquiu, New Mexico 505.901.7321
Gran Quivira
Grand Quivira-One of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument
Just 25-30 miles South of the Cibola National Forest, Mountainair District lies the Grand Quivira Ruins, one of 3, but the largest Ruin of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. The National Park Service administers it. The ranger was new, and had just finished his every morning Rattlesnake Round-up Tour! Seems that there are 3 snake dens within 100 yards of this Ruin and that during the Summer, the Prairie Rattlers, the Diamondbacks and the Bull Snakes all like to sunbathe along the trails. It’s against federal law to accost these serpents ..so the ranger has to take his vigilent walk every morning to clear them out of harms way! J Well..ain’t that government???!!!???
Even in July, and just the day after having been in a blizzard not 75 miles from the Mexican border:
Blooming Cholla Cactus! We’ll have lots more experience with these!
The Kiva, the foundation and the walls of the Pueblo ..in amazing condition:
A grand auditorium:
These were gatherers and planters ..and many wandering tribes came to trade..as well as the Spaniards, when they arrived in the 1500’s.
This..once again is not a “hike”..but a walk back in time!
We were on our way to North Central New Mexico, relocating West from the DC area and at 175 miles from NMO ..it’s not very convenient ..but I wanted to highlight it because of our humble presence there! Dan
Just 25-30 miles South of the Cibola National Forest, Mountainair District lies the Grand Quivira Ruins, one of 3, but the largest Ruin of the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. The National Park Service administers it. The ranger was new, and had just finished his every morning Rattlesnake Round-up Tour! Seems that there are 3 snake dens within 100 yards of this Ruin and that during the Summer, the Prairie Rattlers, the Diamondbacks and the Bull Snakes all like to sunbathe along the trails. It’s against federal law to accost these serpents ..so the ranger has to take his vigilent walk every morning to clear them out of harms way! J Well..ain’t that government???!!!???
Even in July, and just the day after having been in a blizzard not 75 miles from the Mexican border:
Blooming Cholla Cactus! We’ll have lots more experience with these!
The Kiva, the foundation and the walls of the Pueblo ..in amazing condition:
A grand auditorium:
These were gatherers and planters ..and many wandering tribes came to trade..as well as the Spaniards, when they arrived in the 1500’s.
This..once again is not a “hike”..but a walk back in time!
We were on our way to North Central New Mexico, relocating West from the DC area and at 175 miles from NMO ..it’s not very convenient ..but I wanted to highlight it because of our humble presence there! Dan
By: James Orr for new Mexico Dept of Tourism
Near Mountainair, NM, the Gran Quivera Ruins are one of three now-abandoned Salinas Pueblos (Abo and Quarai are the other two) that now make up the Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument. On Salt Missions Trail.
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