Puye Cliffs

New Mexico Outdoor

Roughing It In Luxury-Abiquiu, New Mexico 505.901.7321

Puye Cliffs

Puye Cliffs is on the Santa Clara Pueblo in North Central New Mexico.

It is the ruins of "post Anasazi"..that is to say that after the inhabitants ..for unknown reasons..abandoned Chaco Canyon, NM and Mesa Verde, CO..they spread out and inhabited other cliffs in smaller groups.

At it's apex, Puye Cliffs held a population of no more than 600-800 ...and then..when the creek-spring dried up ..fled down the the Bosque (river valley) ..and became today's' Santa Clara, Ohkay Owingue and San Ildefonso native peoples.

The entrance and main check-in point is on the road to Los Alamos Rt 30 & Puye Cliffs Road, only a few miles South of Espanola ..and is a service-convenience center..and is framed by a beautiful gate:

As we were guests of the Pueblo for this tour..we drove..but noted an amazing hike from approx 5,600 ft to over 7,000 ft elevation over 7 miles.

And to the SW, Chicoma Mtn, our Countys' highest Peak:
The Cliff Dwellings from about 2 miles:
And the entrance to Harvey House (The initial excavator..and the upper Visitors Center)
Our Guide Lucretia Williams-Director:
The Cliff Dwellings Run nearly a full mile wide!:
With multi Level apartments service by ladders:
..and have kitchen areas, common areas and sleeping quarters.

Although..most in ruin..Gabriela stand by a reconstructed apartment ..to give the viewer an idea of what it was like while inhabited

Behind Lucretia..one can imagine a full miles' breadth of inhabitants:

The upper dwellings housed a few hundred people and also served as the reservior and planting fields for the people:

Service by these rude stairs..a 200 ft fall for those not careful: The Cliff Dwellings from above:

2 Things AWESOME about this Puye Cliffs Tour. It's size rivals the more heralded Bandelier, nearby..AND most importantly, they are owned and administered by the Santa Clara Pueblo!! Not the NPS!! They have many volunteer programs that you can become part of.

http://PuyeCliffs.com >>Rt30 & Puye Cliffs Road/A few miles South of Espanola, NM between Santa Fe and Taos.