Round Trip Distance: 0.25 miles
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 5092 - 5095 feet
Cellphone: 3-5 bars
Time: 1 hr.
Trailhead: Coronado Historic Site
Fee: $7/person
Attractions: pueblo ruins, museum
The Coronado Historic Site is at the Kuaua Pueblo in Bernalillo, New Mexico. Sitting on the bench above the Rio Grande River more than 1,500 rooms were constructed at the site when it was inhabited from about 1300 to 1500. Francisco Vasquez de Coronado entered the Rio Grande Valley near this site in 1540 in search of the Seven Cities of Gold.
For turn-by-turn directions enter Coronado Historic Site into your driving app. From I-25 you will take Exit 242 where you will drive west on US 550 for 1 mile before turning onto Kuaua Road which leads to the parking area.
From the parking area enter through the Visitor Center where you can pay the required fee.
After that you can exit out the back of the building where you can follow the paved path that circles around the pueblo's central plaza passing room blocks, kivas, and more enroute.
As you walk along the self-guided interpretive trail there will be informative kiosks that provide a wealth of information about the site.
One of the key features is a reconstructed room that you can enter through a door in the side. Traditionally, entry into the pueblos rooms would have been up a ladder and through the roof.
Inside this structure they have some grinding slicks and stones, commonly called metate y mano's, on display.
Other features include several round kiva rings and even at least one square kiva.
The reconstructed Painted Kiva can be entered when guided tours are available.
In lieu of stones for building the walls they used round balls of clay which they plastered over with mud.
Since the Kuaua Pueblo was a farming community it is also interesting to see a display of waffle gardens with various plants that the people would have grown.
This authentic ox cart is also very interesting to see.
The Kauau Pueblo at the Coronado Historic Site is one of the easiest places of archeological interest for which to visit. It is very informative and offers a good variety of attractions.
If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.
