Canyon of the Ancients National Monument (BLM)

Last summer I learned the difference between a National Park and a National Monument - namely the President can create a National Monument and Congress creates a National Park.  I also learned that the National Park Service oversees 419 national units/parks which include 19 naming designations including "National Park," "National Monument," "National Lakeshore" and "National Historic Site."  When you purchase the National Park Passport book you obtain a list and map of the complete park system so that as you plan your trip you can be sure to include as many national parks as possible.

This was a bonus stop for us because I didn't know it existed before we checked into the Ancient Cedars RV Park.  The reason it escaped my planning attention is because this National Monument is administered by the Bureau of Land Management instead of the National Park Service.  Because of this distinction this monument is not included in the National Parks Passport Book, which had served as my definitive list of all national sites of interest prior to learning about BLM parks.  While at the visitor center and museum I was able to secure a list of all BLM parks to add to my National Park Passport Book.  But let me say that this park is most certainly worth a stop especially the museum which has a very interesting story to tell.

Escalante Pueblo located on a half-mile trail behind the visitor center overlooks the McPhee Reservoir

The museum is extremely well put together, engaging, and has a vast collection of ancient artifacts.  I spent a long time looking at exhibits before realizing what I was looking at -  I was looking at artifacts that were saved from flooding by the Dolores Archaeological Program (DAP).  The DAP was required prior to the construction of the McPhee Dam which would ultimately create the Reservoir (pictured above) and flood many archaeological sites.  The DAP took place over 7.5 years, employed over 500 people, and collected information from 1600 archaeological sites.  In 1978 it was the largest single archaeological contract awarded in American history.

Here is a map of the Dolores River prior to the dam being built.  All of the excavated sites appear as dots.

Here is a map of the reservoir that was created after the dam was built....so yeah, these sites are now under water.

It appears that many steps were taken to preserve the past gather as much as possible prior to the creation of the reservoir.  However, it is disconcerting that these sites were knowingly flooded.  A ranger told me that extensive surveys were done to determine where the reservoir should be placed.  There was public comment and then the DAP.  The reservoir serves as the water source for the area including a great deal of farm land.  Nevertheless modernity and history collide in this place as land uses change over time.

A ranger told me that in the basement of the museum was a vast collection of other artifacts along with the documentation related to its discovery.  Apparently researchers can access the artifacts to continue to discover more about the ancient puebloans of the area.  I was told that the museum is there to tell the story that the sites can no longer tell.  I have never been to a museum set up to honor ancient places that were purposely destroyed.  It was a bit hard to stomach, but then again the collection was amazing and fascinating even including artifacts partially excavated (still in dirt).

The actual lands that the BLM manages are vast and there are still many other sites that were not affected by the reservoir.  One of those sites is Lowry Pueblo.  A portion of the museum held artifacts from this preserved site as well.

This site is notable in that it has been partially reconstructed and a shelter has been built over it.  Visitors are also allowed to enter the structure through a small door...

...and observe a kiva from the ground level.

However, one of the most fascinating aspects of this kiva was the fact that there were remains of plaster along the bottom wall where there once was a decorative panel that had been photographed by early archaeologists when it was first excavated.

The first archaeologists thought that by re-burying the art it would preserved it when in fact this hastened the demise.  When later archaeologists excavated it again they found the decorative panel was almost all gone.  Only a small piece remained and was removed for display in the museum.  I had a very hard time taking a picture due to the glare from the glass.  But I thought seeing the wall art of the ancient puebloans was one of the coolest things in the collection.  

Here are some more amazing photos of the Lowry Pueblo site.  Including the Grand Kiva which was not part of the covered site.

There are many other sites one can explore in the Canyon of the Ancients NM, but we didn't have the time to explore others on this trip.  I look forward to future visits to the preserved sites of these ancient people.  I would also enjoy visiting the museum again.