Round Trip Distance: 700 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 6546 - 6594 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead turnoff: 36.57012, -107.58635
Fee: none
Attractions: pueblito
The Citadel Pueblito is located in the Dinetah area east of Broomfield, New Mexico. The site gets its name from having been built on top of a huge, hard to climb, boulder with walls that include places through which to shoot arrows.
For turn-by-turn directions it is best to enter 36.57012, -107.58635 into your driving app which are the coordinates to the turnoff for the road that leads the final quarter mile to the trailhead. If you enter the coordinates of the trailhead it will try to route you through the well site that is on the left as it doesn't know about this particular road. Like the Gould Pass Pueblito there are multiple routes that will get you to the turnoff. The turnoff is 1.7 miles south of the Gould Pass Road or 0.29 miles north of CR 500.
At the end of the dirt road that leads the final quarter mile to the trailhead there is a turnaround loop. There is at least one primitive campsite at the trailhead.
After parking find one of the faint trails that heads toward the canyon. This sign that tells about The Citadel is a good first target to find the pueblito.
Once you get to the edge of the arroyo there is no missing the multistory ruin that is sitting on top of a huge boulder. Notice the many holes in the walls of the ruins through which arrows could have been shot at any assailants.
A long smooth log is leaned up against the boulder below the only entrance to the pueblito. To help preserve the ruins the sign asks for visitors not to enter them.
From the arroyo side of the boulder the ruins have a different appearance. It looks more like two individual structures tied together and stabilized at the top.
Here are some closeups taken from below with a zoom lens.
The remains of at least one room can be found at the base of the boulder.
If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
