Travel Like Indiana Jones, the Leisure Version — Amateur Archeologist
Adventure travel is a growing niche. What is adventure travel? Briefly, an activity-fueled trip. Mountaineering, Water sports, back country hiking and so on. A recent article estimates the adventure sector is approximately $288 billion USD. That’s a sizeable chunk.
Many travelers want a leisurely outdoor experience. There are many tour providers who cater to both the intrepid and those at a slower pace. An adventure experience does not require repelling off sheer cliffs, shooting down class 4 rapids in a kayak or 30 mile day hikes in wilderness. It often can involve some luxuriousness.
The world over, easily accessible archeological sites can be found. Here’s a few that won’t require pack mules and a fearless determination:
Imperial, MO
Beginning in the American heartland, the adventure awaits. A museum let’s visitors get up close to a mammoth skeleton. The name is fitting, it is huge. The park trails offer an easy, moderate and advanced hiking options. The easy trail is broad, flat and suitable for slow movers. The moderate trail leads to the fossil beds, where mammoth, sloth and stag moose bones were discovered. According to the park website, the fossil beds are in a state of preservation. And, a challenging hike for those who desire to elevate the heart rate. Keep a keen eye out, you may be the next fossil finder.
Letchworth-Love Mounds State Park
Monticello, FL
Down south, near the Florida Georgia state line is the largest known native American mound site. A treasure trove of artifacts have been unearthed and preserved by experts. The long-lost society is estimated to have lived there 1,100 to 1,800 years ago. A few years before the colonists. The grounds are open to the public. A trail meanders around the mound. Visitors can explore on their own, or arrange a ranger guided tour, must be reserved at least two weeks in advance. The park is a popular hiking location, be prepared to see wild turkeys roaming the grounds.
New Mexico
A two and a half hour drive from Santa Fe or Albuquerque, getting there is the hardest part. Bring lots of water though. It’s a dry place most of the year. Once arrived, Chaco Canyon abounds with mostly easy walking trails to numerous spectacular ancient native American dwellings and meeting places. The greater complex is giant. A day trip, a leisurely hike to the great house site, know as Chetro Ketl sounds like a site Indiana himself would have been seen digging. The peoples who built the structures inhabited the region over a thousand years ago. The site in aerial photos, resembles a smaller scale Roman coliseum. The site is large and relatively in a better state of preservation than some of the other structures throughout the Chaco Canyon park. Campgrounds are near by when an overnight is part of the plan. The park is a designated “night sky” program location. What does that mean? A natural nighttime sky free of city lights. Star gazing at its best. The remoteness of the grounds make for spectacular night sky gazing.
Hyattsville, WY
The site is remote. For the road trip crowd, or those who are all about a unique experience and willing to make the trek, this archaeological site will impress. The hieroglyphs are up close and personal. Rare is it rock wall carvings, can one be so close. Despite the site’s remoteness, the website forewarns arriving early is your best bet to be admitted onto the grounds. What else can one do, leisurely here? Trout fishing, horseback riding and camping sites scattered around the park. Talk about ancient civilizations, it’s believed the area has been known to shelter peoples for about 10,000 years. Keep your eyes out for arrowheads or similar artifacts. Please be aware the proper way to be a good steward is to turn in your finds to the rangers or a docent. The discovery is the best part of visiting these amazing sites.
North American archaeological sites aren’t restricted to native American works. Colonial era sites are numerous in the mid-Atlantic, Florida and New England. In future essays, we will explore around the world, the sites and accessibility for the casual adventurer.
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