Santa Fe - Day Five Jemez Mountain Loop

Our day tripping took us toward San Ildefonso Pueblo and Los Alamos. We made time for a side trip to Santa Clara and the Puye Cliff Dwellings - home to 1,500 Pueblo Indians from 900s to 1580. The 1 hour guided tour of the Mesa top is well worth the $20 fee.




Black Mesa has an important history in the resistance to the Spanish in 1692.


Puye Cliff Dwellings at Santa Clara - yes, you can climb the face of the cliff or take a van ride to the top of the Mesa.



Newest part of the dwellings are on top of the mesa and would have been two and three story buildings.


During the archeological restoration of the site, this building was reconstructed to show how the construction from volcanic stone was done.


Entrances are small to help with defense from invading tribes who wanted the Pueblo's food.


The buildings have long vanished from the cliff face.








Kiva


Conejito at Puye Cliff Dwellings