Arch Canyon Ruins
The ruins in Arch Canyon were a different approach to canyon living as compared to Butler Wash: Arch Canyon’s buildings were built at the bottom of the cliff-like canyon walls. That certainly seemed both safer and much easier for daily chores and gathering food, though it was not as easily defensible.
We reached the canyon by 4 wheeling on a deeply snow covered road and then created fresh tracks through snow that was sometimes up to our knees. Once in among the rock walls, we came upon a series of stacked stone, mortared walls that were the standing remnants of buildings. The homes were surprisingly in shade of the facing canyon walls, more so than would be expected for Anasazi that generally favored building with good access to solar heat gain. But it was otherwise protected from winds and likely very comfortable in the summer. With a running stream and fertile soils, it appeared to be a good place to call home.
Arch Canyon Ancestral Puebloan / Anasazi ruins wall of a building, by sandstone cliff
Arch Canyon Anasazi / Ancestral Puebloan ruins below overhanging canyon walls
Remains of an Anasazi community in Arch Canyon
Stacked rocks and natural mortar, using Anasazi building techniques that have lasted 1000 years
The high cliff canyon walls of Arch Canyon, by the Ancestral Puebloan ruins