Pecos National Historical Park and Valles Caldera National Preserve (New Mexico)

We arrived in New Mexico today, visiting Pecos National Historical Park on our way to the northern part of the state.

Pecos preserves archeological ruins ranging from pueblos from 1100 AD to a Spanish church built in 1717.  The park visitor center contains a museum with exhibits about the history of the people that lived there, and a 1.25 mile trail provides access to the ruins.   

We arrived at the location where Viv will be spending the summer, and while she set up her apartment I explored Valles Caldera National Preserve.   I started at the visitor center to get information and orient myself to the trails in the park.   I intend on coming back to Valles Caldera this week for an entire day, but I did explore the 1 mile Pond Trail while here today.  As might be expected, the trail leads to a pond, but what made the trail interesting is that it runs through a very active prairie dog town.