Canyons of the Ancients National Monument: Painted Hand Pueblo

After our visit to Yucca House, Nick drove us north into Canyons of the Ancients National Monument to check out the Painted Hand Pueblo. It was a pretty long drive and rough for the very last section of road. We arrived at the trailhead and found a side trail that led to an overlook of the canyon that the pueblo sits in.

Then, we started our hike on the Painted Hand Loop Trail.

Sierra enjoyed the sections of trail that required scrambling.

Almost immediately after descending into the canyon we found the remains of a structure, perhaps a granary.

Nearby, we found a small tunnel that Sierra climbed through, 

then we continued on. Soon we found ourselves at a circular shaped tower, resting on a stone ledge.

Below the ledge 

is the namesake of the pueblo, some painted hand pictographs.

We continued on the loop trail past another set of ruins 

and some faint petroglyphs 

before ascending back out of the canyon for the conclusion of our hike.