Pueblo La Plata

Trail Overview

Pueblo La Plata offers an easy, one-lane dirt trail perfect for hikers and those interested in exploring ancient ruins. The route is free of obstacles, making for a smooth and enjoyable drive to the trailhead for the hike. The trail leads to the Pueblo La Plata trailhead, which highlights the historical remnants of the Pueblo La Plata site, offering a glimpse into the past. The path is wide enough for passing and is accessible to a variety of skill levels. With 2 bars of LTE service, you can stay connected while soaking in the history and natural beauty of the area.

Photos of Pueblo La Plata

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Difficulty

This is a well-established, though unmaintained trail to a hiking trailhead. There are no obstacles on this route. While short, the trail and ruins are particularly interesting if you're into historical aspects of this particular area of Arizona and tribes of the American Southwest.

History

Pueblo La Plata: Life at the Edge of Silver Creek Canyon 750 Years AgoPueblo La Plata is one of the largest prehistoric archaeological sites in the Agua Fria National Monument. The trail leads to a mound of a prehistoric Pueblo village. It was built of thick stone walls and contained 80 to 100 rooms. Pueblo La Plata was built near A.D. 1250, more than 750 years ago. By A.D. 1450, its residents moved elsewhere for reasons unknown. It's a reasonable estimate that 150 to 200 people may have lived in Pueblo La Plata at any one time over several generations. As many as 3,000 people lived on the monument's mesas during this time period. There were at least six large communities whose buildings contained more than 100 rooms, as well as smaller villages spread throughout the mesa as well. In addition to traveling among the villages, the people communicated through the use of smoke signals. Archeologists have discovered a network of hilltop sites that were used to relay these signals among villages over long distances. If you'd like to learn more about how these ancient peoples lived, please feel free to visit the site, enjoy the hike, and see for yourself!

Technical Rating

Pueblo La Plata can be accessed by the following ride types:

• High-Clearance 4x4
• SUV
• SxS (60")
• ATV (50")
• Dirt Bike