If you have read The Gentle Art of Wandering, you know that one wandering adventure can lead to another and that it could result in a series of unending wandering adventures. And if you read the blog post about Guadalupe Mesa and Astialakwa Ruins, you know that there is an Indian ruin on top of a very tall mesa.

After I went to the top of Guadalupe Mesa I checked it out on Google Earth to see if I could see the ruins. And if you look closely, you can see the ruins. Continue Reading →

If you ever drive on New Mexico Highway 4 towards Jemez Springs you can’t help but to notice the tall mesas on either side of you. What’s even more amazing is that on top of many of those mesas are ruins of prehistoric villages. I have read that at one time over 30,000 people lived on the various mesa tops in the general vicinity. They are the ancestors of the people who now live in today’s Jemez Pueblo a couple of miles to the south.

As you head north, the first tall mesa on your left will be Guadalupe Mesa. It rises 1000 feet from the creek at its base, and it has a ruin on top – the village of Astialakwa. It is where the final hold outs of the Pueblo Revolt were subdued by the Spanish in 1694. I decided to visit it a few days ago. Continue Reading →