Tips on Visiting the Sites

Visitor Etiquette

Any archaeological site needs to be treated with care. They are fragile and irreplaceable. They represent our nation's past, our heritage. And, for some, are one of the main reasons to travel to the Four Corners region. Many of the sites in the southwest are maintained by the National Park System (NPS). Others are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) or US Forest Service.

Archaeology on Public Lands

The rules for visiting archaeological sites located on public lands are simple: take as many pictures as you want; do not collect any archaeological relic or artifact from public land; never touch rock art; do not make rubbings of rock art or make any marks of any kind on a rock art panel; if a site is barricaded, view it from outside the barricade; if there are signs asking you to Keep Out, please understand it is to protect the site; when visiting habitation sites,avoid walking on the midden.

The Basics

Common sense goes a long way when visiting an archaeological site:

Resist the urge to create or contribute to "Museum Rocks" at a site (see photo). Piling up the pottery, flakes, corn cobs, etc. won't really add to the next visitor's experience. By collecting and piling artifacts, you take them out of their original context and, more urgently, expose them to the elements more than they would be if left in place. As you visit a site, your sense of discovery and exploration is going to be enhanced more if you can find the artifacts hidden about on your own, not bunched together on a slab, where they wouldn't normally be.
You don't have to climb or jump into the kiva, granary or room to get a feel for it's history. The masonry walls at most of the ruins you will visit are not reinforced or stabilized. Resting or leaning on a structure wall can cause permanent damage.
If the ledge holding that granary looks like it could come down at any second, it probably will. Just stay on the ground and enjoy the view from there.
Never dig or scrape the soil in hopes of finding more artifacts. Any disturbance of the soil will take things out of their context, making it that much more difficult for archaeologists to interpret the site. Also, when you expose "new" artifacts, you hasten their deterioration or destruction.
And, yes, it will matter if you take just one potshard. If every visitor to a site takes just one potshard or flake or corn cob, there will be none of those materials left for others to see, or for archaeologists to use in interpreting the site. Besides, taking artifacts from public lands - even that "arrowhead" you found on a hike - is violation of Federal Law (Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979).

Visiting a Site With Fido

Domestic dogs and archaeological sites generally don't mix. Often because they can't control the urge to do so, dogs will dig down into the soil to make a nice spot to roll or lay down in. This can be disastrous inside an alcove or rock shelter site, not to mention the impact Fido has when he lifts his leg on a granary wall or roomblock corner. Unfortunately, I have witnessed both. If you bring your dog, secure him to a tree or rock in a nice shady spot, with a bowl of water, outside of the archaeological site.

Water in the Desert

Any water source you encounter in the desert is a matter of life or death to the birds and animals living within miles of it. Whether it's a spring, pothole full of water or running stream, please treat it with care. Don't bathe in it, wash dishes in it, answer the call of nature, cook or camp within 200 feet of it. And, please, under no circumstances allow your pets or stock animals to walk/play in it. Tie up the llama, horse or dog away from the pool or spring, and bring them a bowl of water. Human and domestic animal waste will ward off wildlife from what may likely be the only water source within miles, as will sun-block, bug repellant, soap or other detergents - even the "bio-degradable" ones.

Living Soil

if you plan to explore archaeological sites, or hike, ride, or drive , anywhere in the Four Corners area, observe where you put your feet or tires. Stay on slick rock or established trails. The crusty, black soil you will see there is alive. Composed of living organisms, "cryptobiotic soil" is the thing that keeps this region from blowing/eroding away. It fixes atmospheric nitrogen, helps retain moisture for the plants around it and stabilizes the soil/sand. One crushing boot print or tire track will take years to re-establish.

A Guest

Why so much information regarding what you should not do? Simply put, the desert, and most everything in it, is incredibly fragile. The rules are there to protect it. If a few careless visitors violate the rules, or cause unnecessary damage, stricter guidelines will be made and enforced or, even worse, areas will be closed to access entirely. Take the approach that you are a guest in someone else's house. You wouldn't steal, leave a mess or be disrespectful there. On a positive note, just look at all that you get to see and do during your visit.