All Roads Lead to Montezuma Canyon - Three Kiva Pueblo

Still have that map from when I began this series? I'm going to continue moving northward on Montezuma Canyon Road - CR 146 for six more miles to Three Kiva Pueblo (seven miles from the CR 206/CR146 junction). One of the things I didn't mention before is how much Roy and I have begun to so enjoy this area, it borders on love. If we had the finances to move and live along this road, we would do it in less than a heartbeat; it's not just the landscape, but the overall atmosphere that draws us near and embraces us.  Maybe that is why all roads keep leading us to Montezuma Canyon, we're meant to be there...anyway, enough of the mush and lets get to the meat.

Oh, I better explain something; when you're looking up mileage for getting to places, well, it can be a little confusing.  On maps, the mileage is geared towards vehicles, a mile is a mile is a mile; straight forward.  On hiking sites, the mileage is geared towards how long it takes a person to walk somewhere; or that seems to be how many write their experiences up as.  For Roy and myself, we travel via "mesa miles"; while the odometer gives us the actual mile is a map mile; time wise, a "mesa mile" equals whenever the heck we get somewhere from stopping to take photos, hike around and explore.  Guess you can call the "mesa mile" a combination of vehicle travel and adventure spirit.  In other words, don't ask me how long it takes to get somewhere; I'll tell you the map miles, but other than that, you're on your own.  Back to our regularly scheduled writing...

The six miles between the second set of rock art and the pueblo is filled with a twisting, turning road of beautiful landscape full of mesas, buttes, rock formations, cliff dwellings; even the ranches and roaming cattle create the classic picture. 



Same formation, different view up close

Across from the above formation, you'll see a large flat faced boulder with black markings on it.  The markings are simple desert varnish, no rock art; you'll drive next to it on the road and see how huge the boulder is.


The river beds are dry and deep; I wonder what secrets are buried in that sandy soil and packed walls?

Map time; the third arrow, pointing east, is at 4.5 miles; there is a ranch on the eastern side with cliffs in the background.  Look for a wide cave opening which at first might just look like a bunch of broken rocks inside it...nope, using my zoom lens, I found a dwelling there.  Across from the area is a beautiful open area leading to hills, but wait; look behind you at the buttes you passed by and probably didn't even notice.

2.5 map miles to go and welcome to Three Kiva Pueblo; don't blink, you'll miss the turn off!  While there is a sign directly outside the Pueblo's wooden fence, there is nothing on the roadway to indicate its location; you either see it, or you drive by it.  Before going up the stone walkway and exploring, stop and look around, drink in all that beauty; stop and listen, the silence is deafening.



Three Kiva Pueblo

Three Kiva Pueblo is maintained by the BLM; they have available a simple informational pamphlet at their field offices, or at welcome centers.  This is a well preserved Puebloan settlement, hence the care given to it as opposed to the Browns Canyon Ruins. A map to better help you get the lay of the rooms.

Kive #3 is located in the front of the pueblo, Kiva #2 is to the right; both have not been excavated.  As you continue up the walkway on the left side, the "rooms" ahead are the "bins" labeled on the map.  A short climb upwards past them will bring you to solid dirt and Kiva #1.

Kiva #1 is very well preserved and an impressive structure; it is, though, completely abandoned.  What do I mean by that?  I have visited many Kivas and felt...something; even my photos have given credence of this feeling with the visitation of an "orb".   Not so for Three Kiva; while the sun's rays give it brilliant light, no one is home.

Next stop, lower level; be careful climbing down as it is very dark until you set foot on the dirt and allow your eyes to acclimate.












My photos do not give the interior of the Kiva full justice; the workmanship is incredible, even the interlacing of the wooden beams of the roof.  Unless you actually climb down into it, you will not get the full scope of it all.




Niche behind lower right of ladder




Bench Hole, Reflector, Firepit
 

Foot Drum, Firepit





 

 

Outside, walk around the back area for the living and/or storage rooms; you'll also see the opening for the ventilation shaft.                

Ventilation Shaft, Roofing Visible beyond.

 

  

  

 

Going up around the other side, you will be walking over where Kiva #2 is buried and pass by, possibly, more storage bins.

 

 

Now, if you only read the pamphlet or most guidebook material of this area, this would be your final destination on Montezuma Canyon Road - CR 146.  You would more than likely turn around and go back the way you came...no, wrong, don't do that!  CR 146 goes all the way through to Route 191 and comes out only 5 miles from the Monticello Welcome Center.  What I have written about so far: Browns Canyon Ruins, Perkins Road - CR 206, both sites of Rock Art on CR-146 and Three Kiva Ruins is just one option, that being coming up north on Route 191 and beginning in the Blanding area.

 

My next write ups (there will be two) will be of beginning at the Monticello Welcome Center, traveling south for those five miles and starting a most wonderful adventure down Montezuma Canyon Road.  Again, beautiful landscape full of homesteads, houses built within sandstone hills, wineries, cave and cliff ruins, more rock art...you would miss it all if you didn't stay on this marvelous road.  Stay tuned folks, this was only the appetizer sampler...

 

Mary Cokenour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Monument Valley Tour Begins.

Well folks, we finally made it into Monument Valley and if you think what you see on Route 163 is stupendous, wait till you get further inside. Roy and I were very lucky to be able to take a tour with members of the San Juan County Economic Development and Visitors Services, and Community Ambassadors from Monticello, Blanding and Bluff Fort; we all had a blast! The photo of us isn't the greatest, but what the heck...we were there!

We did the morning three hour tour through Goulding's Lodge, and yes, we did sing the theme song from "Gilligan's Island" as we started off. I'll be doing a complete write up of Goulding's Lodge in a later post, but they also have an afternoon three hour tour and an all day tour which includes a luncheon. There are other tour groups for Monument Valley, but Goulding's is the only one I'll be able to give you photos and information about. Let me say this right now, you want to go on a guided tour; #1 - the guides are Navajo and know their own history and culture; #2 - the roads are 100% "primitive", so unless breaking an axle on your vehicle is your life's dream...take the guided tour!!! So, lets begin this adventure, oh, and there are so many photos to show, I'm going to have to make this a two part write up.

Lets begin with the ride down Route 163 (Utah towards Arizona) towards Monument Valley; that morning we had to be at Goulding's before 9am, the sky was hazy with sun and thick clouds. Off to the right is Eagle Rock, Setting Hen and Sleeping Bear which were shrouded in cloud cover, so I'm also posting a photo of the same site that I took in the early spring which shows the formations more clearly.

Sleeping Bear, Setting Hen, Eagle Rock

Before I go any further, I better post a map of Monument Valley that is given out for the tour; I've gone ahead and written in the names of any formations not listed.

Even though I'm going to do two parts on my write up, each posting is going to be rather long and the map gives a good hint on why.

By the way, Monument Valley is spread across two states: Utah and Arizona.












The sun coming from the East will make photographs a little difficult, so apologies if the ones I post are on the hazy side.  In my second posting, I will display a few I took at sunset on another occasion; Monument Valley is dramatic no matter what time of day you're there.  This panorama is on the left side with Brigham's Tomb, The King on His Throne, Stagecoach, Bear and Rabbit, Castle Butte, Big Indian and part of Sentinel Mesa.



Grey Whiskers

After parking at Goulding's Lodge and getting settled on the tour vehicle (sort of like an open air heavy duty bus), we first visited a Hogan...and there's your tease for my write up on Goulding's to come later on.  Off to the Valley we go, and as we get closer to the entrance fee booth, Mitchell Butte and Grey Whiskers will come into sight.  Now our Navajo guide explained to us that Mitchell and Merrick Buttes were named after two miners who came to dig around in the Valley in the 1800s, but were slaughtered by Ute Indians who were in the area also.

Mitchell Butte
 

First stop is the Monument Valley Visitors Center which contains a restaurant, museum and The View hotel; you can also get hooked up with one of the other guided tours there.  While the view from the parking lot back towards the entrance is pretty neat, wait till you see the breath taking view from the patio area and prepare to become speechless.  If you stay at the hotel, the windows of the rooms face out towards the Valley, so no wonder it is simply called "The View".

The Left and Right Mittens, and Merrick Butte together are the iconic view that represents Monument Valley; it is on written material, postcards, book covers, seen in practically every movie and/or commercial filmed in the Valley.  Just a split second glimpse and you immediately know them.  Did you know that there is a small arch in the Left Mitten?  It's not easily seen until you get down onto the Valley floor.  Now remember, the "roads" are primitive; in other words, this will be a very bumpy ride, so lets head on down.

Merrick Butte

Small Arch in the Left Mitten

Sentinel Mesa, Castle Butte

The guide took us up to a flattened area that held many vendor stalls for purchasing handmade Native American jewelry, dream catchers, shields and ceramics.  You'll also have a closer view of The Mittens, and Sentinel Mesa and Castle Butte in the distance.







Camel Butte -  head on

Back on the road, bumping along; Elephant Butte and Camel Butte will be coming up soon.  Let me tell you that the formations in the Valley are huge; I mean make a dinosaur look like a tadpole huge! 




Camel Butte -  side view

Elephant Butte

The Three Sisters will be coming into focus and that means John Ford's Point will be the next "get off the bus and stretch the legs" stop.  John Ford was the film director who basically made John Wayne a star and household name; he loved staying at Goulding's Lodge and making movies in Monument Valley.  Every day, for the tours, a cowboy in a red shirt will ride a beautiful horse out to the Point and pose; it's a nice dramatic effect.  Oh, I forgot to mention, you can do a guided tour by horseback; check at the Visitors Center about that.

Next stop...John Ford's Point.



John Ford's Point



View from John Ford's Point





Cowboy out on the Point





The Three Sisters

You'll also be up front and personal with The Three Sisters; there will be vendor stalls once again and a food wagon selling Navajo Fry Bread. Eating fry bread is a must! Doesn't matter if you've already had a meal, doesn't matter if you are on a diet, you must have fry bread to make this a total experience!

















Back onto the bumpy road towards Central Monument Valley and that is where part one of my story is going to end.  What lays beyond is a further wonderland of formations, arches and petroglyphs, till then...

Central Monument Valley

Beautiful Horses in the Valley

Mary Cokenour