Tsankawi Trail Stop 19

a view from inside a cavate (human made cave) with several openings that show trees and rocks outside
View out of a cavate

Photo by Sally King

Stop 19: From here, you once again have a marvelous view. Ahead you can see down to highway 4 where it intersects with the truck route from Los Alamos. Adjacent to that is the parking lot where your vehicle is located. Your journey through Tsankawi is almost concluded.

Below you, the canyon bottoms would have been covered with agricultural fields. Corn, beans, and squash were the main crops. Corn, introduced from Mexico over 4000 years ago, is a strong plant. It grows tall and is relatively drought resistant. Beans and squash have less tolerance for heat and sun. The corn plants provide shade and support for the other two sisters. Corn, beans, and squash are known as the three sisters because of the frequency in which they have been found growing together in the prehistoric sites. Not only does their cohabitation make for better growing conditions but also together, they provide a more nutritional diet.

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Last updated: January 15, 2022

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Los Alamos, NM 87544

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