Aztec Ruins Summer Solstice Sunrise

Attention astronomy aficionados and early risers alike! On Wednesday, June 21, the summer solstice, Aztec Ruins National Monument will be open early for a sunrise viewing. The ancestral Pueblo people built the north wall of the Aztec West great house so the rising sun lines up with it directly, on the summer solstice, and this effect can still be seen today!

Sunrise will be at 5:53 AM Mountain Daylight Time, so visitors should arrive at the visitor center parking lot at 5:15 to attend this program. The sunrise observations will be followed by flute music in the Great Kiva, performed by Mr. Travis Jensen. This is before the normal opening time, and the Visitor Center will not be accessible, but rangers will be present to orient and direct visitors, and the restrooms will be available. Once the event has finished, the site will be closed again until the regular summer opening time at 8:00 AM.