 | From the parking lot, you follow an old road west to Kin Kletso (GPS:
KLETSO). The trail to Pueblo
Alto takes off behind Kin Kletso. Go right at the Ruin and look for
the trail signs.
|
You climb about 100 ft up a slot canyon right behind Kin Kletso.
This climb is one of two on this hike. I can imagine some people
not liking the climb. It is easy. Do not let it prevent you from
making the hike.
|  |
 | After the short climb, you come out on the mesa top. The trail here is
a cairn trail with some wooden posts instead of cairns. The cairns
are large and easy to follow.
|
Once on top of the mesa, you can look down on Kin Kletso, where you
started.
|  |
 | Not far down the trail ( PKBSN), you
come to some basins pecked in the mesa top. To the right, you can See
Diana Northup and Sue Barns looking at one of the basins.
|
The trail is along some sandstone terraces.
|  |
 | In these terraces, you can
see iron nodules and also worm casings weathering out.
|
After a bit more walking, you come to an overlook where you can see the
Wetherill cemetery.
|  |
 | Continuing with the views from the mesa top, the next view is of Pueblo
del Arroyo.
|
After a little more hiking, you come to a branch in the trail
( ALTOY). First,
head over to the Pueblo Bonito overlook, which is to your right.
|  |
 | Return to the branch at ALTOY, and head
up the mesa, as Steve Koch and Sue Barns are doing in the picture here.
|
A little more hiking, and you come across some Chacoan steps (CSTEPS).
A few more minutes of hiking, and you come to one of the Chacoan roads
(CROAD).
Just a few minutes later, you come up a small hill and get your
first view of New Alto, with Pueblo Alto visible mainly as a bump
to the right. Pueblo Alto is the highest point of this hike.
The photo here is New Alto.
|  |
 | Continue up the trail, and you will get to a point where it branches.
To the left is New Alto, straight ahead is a place with a view of
the San Juan Basin, and to the right is Pueblo Alto and how you
will continue once you have seen both Pueblo Alto and New Alto. In
the image to the right, the most distant person is standing at the
place where the trail branches. You can also see Pueblo Alto.
|
Over in New Alto, you can look at the Chacoan masonry. Also, look out of
a window and imagine what it would be like to have been here when Chaco
was at its peak.
|  |
 | The walls in Pueblo Alto as not standing as high as they are over in New
Alto.
|
Leave on the trail heading southeast. Note the view of Fajada Butte.
Unfortunately, both times we hiked this trail, the light was not right
for a photo. Hike this trail first thing in the morning for better
lighting in your views of Fajada.
After a little more hiking, you come to where you can view the Jackson
Staircase across the canyon. We have tried to imagine climbing these
stairs, and we would want a handrail, thank you. Maybe the holes to the
left of the stairs were for a handrail?
|  |
 | You hike around past the top of the Jackson Stairs, and then you
begin to descend. Part of the descent is through a small, slot
canyon, reminiscent of the one you came up, over by Kin Kletso. Again,
it is an easy canyon to come down; they have placed rocks for steps.
|
Once you descend to the mesa edge, you follow it and soon come to a view
down onto Chetro Ketl (as shown here).
Continue hiking around, along the mesa edge, and you will return to
(ALTOY). From here, you return to the slot
canyon near Kin Kletso, and then back to the trailhead.
|  |
Copyright © 1997-2018 Kenneth Ingham Consulting, LLC.
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