Aztec Ruins

Aztec Ruins National Monument reserves structures and artifacts of Ancestral Pueblo people from the 1100’s through 1200s. People associated with Chaco Canyon to the south built and used the structures, then people related to the Mesa Verde region to the north used the site in the 1200’s. The monument was established in 1923, and designated a World Heritage Site in 1987. Acreage: 319.47

DESIGNATIONS
National Monument – January 24, 1923
World Heritage Site – December 8, 1987

Operating Hours, Seasons
Daily, Memorial Day through Labor Day, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; rest of the year, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed January 1, Thanksgiving Day, December 25.

Weather & Climate
Relatively mild winter days, occasional snow, evening temperatures sometimes drop below zero. Summer day temperatures upper 80’s and low 90’s, cool nights. Summer thunderstorms.

Accessibility
A TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) is available. Callers should give adequate signals and allow sufficient hookup time (505) 334-6174 then dial 30. The visitor center, restrooms, a picnic table, and portions of the trail are accessible to wheelchairs

MAY WE RECOMMEND
A self guided interpretive trail about 1/2 mile (800 meters) long winds through the West Ruins, a pueblo of 450 interconnected rooms built of stone and mud. Visitors walk through rooms with origianl roofs and a reconstructed Great Kiva– a partially underground structure once used for community wide activities. Easy trail, but there are some stairs and low doorways. Guide booklets are available for purchase or loan.

Rangers occasionally give talks during summer months. A 25 minute orientation video program is shown throughout the day in the visitor center. Children’s junior ranger program is available

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