Page 179 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

THE FOUR C ORNERS  177

AD 400. They closely followed geology of this area and T Salmon Ruins
the Mesa Verde (see pp184–5) features a popular children’s 6131 Hwy 64. Tel (505) 632-2013. Open
development pattern, even- gallery with inter active exhibits. May–Oct: 8am–5pm Mon–Fri, 9am–
tually creating numerous fine 5pm Sat & Sun; Nov–Apr: 8am–5pm
cliff dwellings, including the Environs Mon–Fri, 9am–5pm Sat, noon–5pm
80-room Lion House. These About 25 miles (40 km) west of Sun. & 7 8 ∑ salmonruins.com
ruins have few visitors because Farmington is Shiprock, named
of their inaccessibility. Visitors for the spectacular 1,500-ft (457-
can use their own vehicles m) rock peak that thrusts up from
and join the dusty tours led the valley floor about 5 miles (8
by local Ute guides, or pay km) west of town. To the Navajo,
an extra charge to be driven. this rock is sacred; to early Anglo-
American settlers it was a
w Four Corners landmark visible for many miles
that reminded them of a ship’s
Monument Navajo prow, hence the name. Now it is
Tribal Park only possible for visitors to
observe the peak from the
Road map D2. Junction of Hwys 160 roadsides of Hwys 64 or 33.
and 41. Tel (928) 871-6647. Open Jun– Eight miles (12 km) south
Sep: 7am–8pm; Oct–May: 8am–5pm. are the Salmon Ruins, which
Closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving, Dec 25.
& 7 ∑ utah.com/four-corners were once an outlying Chaco Interior of the Great Kiva at the Ancestral
settlement. These ruins were Puebloan Salmon Ruins
There is something oddly protected from gravediggers by
compelling about being able to the Salmon family, who home-
put one foot and hand in each steaded here in the 1870s. t Aztec
of four states. The Four Corners As a result, a century later Road map D2. * 6,500. n 110
Monument is the only place in archaeologists recovered more North Ash St. (505) 334-9551.
the US where four states meet than a million artifacts, many of ∑ aztecnm.com
at one point. which are on display in the
excellent on-site museum. The small town of Aztec was
Outside, trails lead to the Salmon named for its ruins, which are
e Chaco Culture homestead and the ruins, which Ancestral Puebloan – and not
National Historical show the exceptional level of skill Aztec, as early settlers believed.
Park of these ancient stonemasons. Preserved as a national
monument, the site’s 500-room
See pp178–9. E Bolack Museum of Fish pueblo flourished in the late
and Wildlife 1200s. Visitors can look inside
3901 Bloomfield Hwy. Tel (505) 325- a rebuilt kiva.
r Farmington 4275. Open 9am–3pm Mon–Sat, tours
by appointment only. Closed Sun, T Aztec Ruins National
Road map D2. * 46,000. ~ @ hols. & 7 8 obligatory.
n 3041 E. Main St. (505) 326-7602. ∑ bolackmuseums.com Monument
∑ farmingtonnm.org North of Hwy 516 on Ruins Rd.
E Farmington Museum Tel (505) 334-6174. Open 8am–5pm
A dusty, hard-working ranch 3041 E. Main St. Tel (505) 599-1174. daily (6pm in summer). Closed Jan 1,
town, Farmington is a good base Open 8am–5pm Mon–Sat. & 7 8 Thanksgiving, Dec 25. & 7 8
∑ nps.gov/azru
for exploring the surround ing ∑ farmingtonmuseum.org
monuments. It is also home
to one of the most unusual
museums in the Southwest.
Just south of town, on the
family-run B-Square Ranch,
the vast Bolack Museum of Fish
and Wildlife houses the largest
accumulation of mounted
game animals in the world –
more than 2,500 specimens
collected over 70 years by
oilman and rancher Tom Bolack.
It is divided into nine themed
game rooms, including African,
Asian, European, and Russian.
The Farmington Museum
focuses on the local history and The spectacular red peak of Shiprock near Farmington

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