American West Travelogue – Canyon Country Guide to Popular Anasazi Sites

A Canyon Country Guide to Anasazi Indian Ruins
17 Places to Visit

One of the most popular and fascinating features of the southwest’s Canyon Country is the remains of the prehistoric Anasazi Indian civilization. The Anasazi thrived in the region for nearly 1,000 years leaving evidence of their extraordinary masonry talents everywhere. The zenith of the Anasazi culture was reached in Chaco Canyon during the years 900-1100 A.D. The gigantic pueblos of Chaco rival the other great works of the ancient world, such as those of the Mayas and Incas. By the year 1300, the Anasazi had abandoned the entire region, generally moving into the Rio Grande Valley of northern New Mexico. This departure has long been one of the southwest’s great mysteries and has been the subject of intense research and speculation for generations.
Pueblo Bonito

The domain of the early Anasazi was the drainage system of the San Juan River which runs roughly east to west before emptying into the Colorado River (now Lake Powell).