Trip South - Bandelier part 2

 

We find out there is a 2nd Section of Bandelier - Tsankawi - just down the road from the Visitor's Center so we check it out before leaving.

It is easy to drive by as it looks like just a trailhead. 

We come to an interesting rock formation.  The trail at Tsankawi includes narrow trenches and ladders.

Around the corner is our first ladder

Gary makes it up

Quite a view

Let's see where it leads us

It follows the ridge

 

 

Looks like they were a peaceful people

I think we missed a turn somewhere

 

We finally find ladder no. 2

I spot a sign to the left and check it out.  looks like we had lost the trail at sometime, will remember to go back this way!

 

We take it to the next level

An even better view

Finally a level smooth trail

I spot my first pottery shard

And then more

 

I follow the trail a bit further and follow the trail sign

The trail gets a bit narrow

And there is a 3rd ladder

We decide to go back the way we came as it is easier and we need to move on to Albuquerque

We.spot more pottey

And some Pueblo ruins

What is left if the Village of Tsankawi, built in the 1400s A.D. by ancient Pueblo Indians sometimes known as the Anasazi.

 

We go back down ladder 2 and follow the trail we missed.  Don't know how that happened.   The trails have been worn into the rock 8 to 24 inches or more as the people traveled from the mesa tops to their farms in the canyons below

Then back down ladder 1

What a great hike!