Puye Cliff Dwellings

While Bandelier National Monument was relaxing and inviting, Chris and I were most definitely interested in additional exploration when it came to cliff dwellings and New Mexico's historic sites. Our schedule permitted us one destination on Tuesday. We could choose to visit the Taos Pueblo or Puye Cliff Dwellings. Although the Pueblo is supposed to be pretty spectacular, Chris and I are wary of crowds. The Taos Pueblo is a very popular place. Although it's filled with authentic Native American artisans and craftspeople, she and I felt more like we wanted a one on one experience doing something a little more exciting than shopping.

Puye is beautiful. A Pueblo guide provides an intimate tour throughout the site. What I enjoyed most about it is that her experiences were firsthand. She is a direct descendant of the individuals who used to inhabit the cliff dwellings and her knowledge about the area was not only complete but also genuine. In fact, the people who used to live at the site now live approximately 10 miles away.

This was, by far, the most adventurous tourist destination I've visited. Unlike at Bandelier, the ladders for climbing the cliffs are tall. There were several instances during which I felt like one slip of a foot and I'd fall to my death. In retrospect, I'm surprised we weren't asked to sign a waiver before we headed out...

The views are incredible here!

Our guide shared a lot of stories about local flora and fauna. She told us about how the 1,500 Pueblo People  who used to live there had kept turkeys as pets. The children were responsible for walking the turkeys everyday. Okay, so maybe they were also kept to make blankets from their feathers and for the occasional meal, but it made me really want a turkey of my own. Hahaha.

At the Mesa Top we were treated with a panoramic view.

Ruins of the pueblo are found there, as well as those of a keva. Visitors are not allowed to photograph the keva for spiritual reasons. We were, however, allowed inside. We climbed down a ladder into the cool, dark room. It felt refreshing to be out of the sun, even if it smelled dusty inside. Our guide told us about how kevas are used for ceremonies and rituals.

The majority of folks at the Mesa Top had taken the bus instead of the hike through the trails. None of them seemed very adventurous, and I think for the most part they spent about 15 minutes asking questions, taking pictures, and looking dumbfounded that anyone would be able to live at such a high elevation with such primitive resources. Let's just say they didn't seem like the type of folks that would go camping!

What's left of the pueblo is majestic and striking.

It's very difficult to describe.

We visited so many incredible places on our honeymoon I've found it impossible to pick a favorite. Suffice it to say, though, Puye is not a location to pass on!

Our long day concluded with a long drive to our next destination, where we spent a night in Taos in an Earthship...