aztec ruins national monument

Aztec Ruins is a hidden gem where the Old Spanish Trail crosses the Animas River. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the monument is an easy stop for families with kids or the amateur historian who wants to learn more about the Chacoan Culture of the Ancestral Pueblo people, and the cities they built 1,000 years ago. Even better, by the time you read this the museum renovation may be done, and I'd expect to give it 5 stars then.

We stopped at Aztec while on the way to Mesa Verde. It was small, but amazing. There are neat spots to explore throughout the ruins and there was plenty to learn when stopping to read the displays. This is not something I would consider a destination, but was definitely a good travel stop.

An excellent stop. We saw ruins in great shape and the employee there Mac Montgomery was very helpful.Great video and we found that the ruins weren't built by the Aztecs at all but the Pueblo people.Walking paths would be fairly accessible for the handicapped to get a good idea of what the place is about.

On a 2 week girl's trip we stopped at the Aztec Ruins on our way home. Very interesting place. There were locals selling some of their jewelry out front. I suggest you get the booklet to follow along on your tour. It's a very easy walk; however, there are a few places where you have to stoop pretty low to get under doorways. And there are some stairs in some areas.

This place should be seen along with Chaco Culture. This monument is an easy walk and ties in with the migration from Chaco. Great kiva and other structures. Lots of good info.

From the moment we sat down to watch the informative video through the end of our trek through the ruins, we were truly amazed. It is so hard to fathom how these were built 900 years ago. One thing we especially noted was the quiet. It was wonderful. This staff was great, one of the ladies in the gift shop had a recommendation for our drive to Santa Fe and Albuquerque along NM96. What a wonderful route with no traffic and absolutely spectacular views.

My wife and I visited here Sept 17th 2014 and was surprised how nice it was here.Be sure to see the video before heading out and get the booklet that explaines what your seeing.There's one exibit where you can go deep inside one of the structures and be sure to see the mat of willows sewn with yucca cord still in the same location they left it over 800yrs(see my photos).take about 2hrs here and you should buy the "pass" that is good for LIFE and you can get into ALL Nat'l parks for FREE and the pass is only 10.00.We saved 60.00 on our trip.Hope you get to visit this unique place David/Cheryl Sargent 2014

When I look around at the Kivas and how the meeting places and rooms are situated, makes me think they must have been a very interconnected group.Aztec Ruins was giving its name by the Spaniards. The Native Americans were here from the year of 900 - 1200 they were forced to migrate South due to the changes in the growing season.

We decided to visit based on the reviews while we were in Durango, Co. We arrived early and were the only ones in for about 45 minutes. A video in the beginning is the perfect length for kids - not too long, and it presents the essential facts about the subject. We liked the fact that it is a self-guided tour. You get a booklet and read about each structure/item at your own pace. You spend as much or as little time as you want to near each spot. This is very helpful when visiting with kids! My son enjoyed the visit mainly because you get to go inside the kiva, and the rooms. I also have to mention that there is a tiny store with Indian souvenirs close-by. It will be on your right as you leave the museum (on the same street). We bought a lot of souvenirs/gifts here. Prices are very reasonable!

These excavated ruins are very accessible, especially to short people who will navigate through small doorways into different rooms easily. The interpretive guide that we borrowed from the front desk was excellent, stressing that this is a sacred place to Native Americans who believe that their ancestors are still a presence here. The movie in the visitor center was also very good. We were there in early November and had the place to ourselves. We've been to Chaco Canyon many times over the years but never Aztec Ruins. Glad we went!

My wife and I started in the visitor's center for the fifteen minute video, then set off on a walking tour of our own. We walked about half a mile, including pouring over the ruins. We wore hiking shoes. We were most impressed by the reconstructed kiva, the largest we'd ever seen. Some of the original timbers, dating back 900 years, are still in place. Dendrochronology, tree ring dating, determined their age.

After seeing Chaco Canyon, we stopped for the night in Aztec, NM. We didn't know the ruins were there until we saw a sign. We stopped in first thing in the morning and had a wonderful time doing the self guided tour of the ruins. These ruins were much more interesting and informative than the Chaco Canyon ruins were. You actually felt like you were a part of their lives vs. looking at them from the outside in. I would highly recommend a stop at this site!

This is another important archaeological site protected by our National Park Service. It is a smaller site, but a very important site. You can spend about an hour going through the site or you can spend a lifetime studying this amazing culture. You can see the amazing stone work and some amazingly preserved rooms. You will want to combine this with a trip to Chaco.

This is perhaps the most impressive place for seeing how the Ancient Ones lived and their architecture. Unlike Mesa Verde this is an open tour location...self guided. It compares well with Mesa Verde in the realm of historic value and information presented. It is accessible to young and old and we saw some wheelchairs there. The autumn colors are magnificent as the place is in the middle of giant cottonwoods. If you're in the area it is a must see.

I lived so close for so long, and never knew they were there.... I was amazed to find these ruins here, and fascinated by the extensive sites and well preserved relics.