Puerco Pueblo - Petrified Forest National Park

Eleven miles from the north entrance and seventeen miles from the south entrance to Petrified Forest National Park is a large archaeological site called Puerco Pueblo. This village just above the flood plain of the Rio Puerco was inhabited between 1250 and 1380 AD. It has over 100 rooms in an near rectangular layout of about 120 by 80 feet. Rectangular rooms seemed to be about 6 feet by 11 feet. There were no exterior doors or windows. Access was most likely by way of ladders to the roof of the one-story complex and, after crossing one or more rooms, descending into the plaza by the same means. Fields of corn beans, and squash would have surrounded the village. About one third of the pueblo has been excavated with much of that area being filled in again to preserve the ruins. Just south of the pueblo is a jumble of rocks with numerous petroglyphs. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 as "Puerco Ruin & Petroglyphs."

A 0.3 mile paved loop trail leads around and through the pueblo as well as providing a series of overlooks of the petroglyphs. One of the overlooks is not accessible to strollers and wheelchairs. An historic park service contact station is being refurbished for further use at the site. There is no shade and no water at the site. Vault toilets are located at the parking area. We visited during our May 2015 trip to the Southwest.

A fairly steep incline greets visitors at the paved trailhead

Beginning the loop through the pueblo

The historic Contact Station is being refurbished for further use

Another view of the Contact Station

Remnants of a few rooms along the southern wall of the pueblo

Petroglyphs south of the pueblo

More petroglyphs and graffiti

Petroglyph of a White-faced Ibis eating a frog

More petroglyphs on the jumbled rocks

The small circular petroglyph marks the summer solstice

More of the southern wall

A few of the rooms along the eastern side of the pueblo

White Evening Primrose (Oenothera pallida)

Kiva

An entry fee of $10 per private vehicle is good for seven consecutive days. Other fee payment options include the America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands passes including the Annual Pass ($80), Senior Pass ($10 for lifetime), Access Pass (free with documented disability) and Military Annual Pass (free for active duty personnel).

The park website is http://www.nps.gov/pefo/index.htm.