Wupatki National Monument 1645a

I've visited Wupatki National Monument at least 3 times over the past 20 years and found each visit to be worthwhile. Every time I've visited there have been relatively few other visitors, thus it is one of the few Native American ruins where it is quiet enough to be able to spend time reflecting on what life must have been like for the original inhabitants.

The vistas to the east are of seemingly uninterrupted grasslands and canyons going on forever, thus adding to the sense of spectacular isolation.

Per the National Park Service website, the ruins date back to 1100's when the area was most densely populated. The eruption of a nearby volcano (see Sunset Crater photos) forced populations to move and at the same time the volcanic ash held moisture in the soil so that crops were easier to grow. Settlement here lasted until about 1250.

Updated 7/13/2014: Per the link below, excavation began in 1933 and much of the early labor for excavation and stabilization of the ruins was provided through two New Deal agencies: Civil Works Administration and Civilian Conservation Corps.
www.library.arizona.edu/contentdm/newdeal/brochure.pdf