General information about the National Monument
The National Monument protects several ruins of the Pueblo from the 12th and 13th centuries. In their architecture they are similar to those in Chaco Canyon. The ruins got their name from American settlers in the 19th century who called them Aztec ruins because they mistakenly attributed them to the Aztecs.
Number of visitors
Best time to visit: Spring and fall.
Our visits:
So far 1 visit: June 2023
Entrance fees and opening hours
- free of charge
- Covered by the Anual Pass*
- Open daily from 8am - 4pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
*The Anual Pass is so to speak the "flat rate" for all Parks managed by the National Park Service. The pass costs a one-time fee of $80 and can be purchased at the entrance to each National Park, National Monument, etc. The pass is valid for 13 months.
Aztec Ruins NM
Description: The national monument is located on the west bank of the Animas River in Aztec, New Mexico. The first records date from 1859 when the present ruins were still in good condition. Subsequently, however, they were removed by settlers. The stones served them as building material. Thus, large parts of the site were destroyed. In 1923 the area became a National Monument and since then it is under protection. In addition to many of the foundation walls, you can also visit the reconstruction of the large kiva. You can easily explore the whole complex on a paved circular path. In addition to the outdoor area, there is also a small museum and a small cinema in the attached visitor center. Here you can see a very interesting film about the National Monument. Time required approx. 2 hours.
Our rating: We liked the National Monument very much. It is compact and well organized and you get a lot of interesting information about the time when the Pueblo lived here. The movie at the visitor center was also worth seeing.
