blackwater draw locality no. 1

This is a step way back in time. You will be amazed at the finds that have come to light. We were very fortunate to have the director of the archeology department give us a tour and description of the area as it was ~ 13,000 years ago when the Clovis spear point was in use. Long extinct animal bones have been unearthed along w/ accompanying flints. These were among the earliest known Native Americans on the north American continent. Folsom flints were also found here, a mere ~10, 000 years old.Be sure to visit the museum on the university campus. All are very interesting, even if you are not a history buff. Discover the short-faced bear, that weighed ~2,500 pounds and ran like a dog!

Be sure to stop at both the museum on the main highway then go to the dig site. The day I was there it was just me and a lizard at the dig site. Staff is extremely steeped in the science and love to talk about it. Great place to explore water issues in the southwest. The trail is lovely and well documented

Great info about the local area, very well put together museum, and knowledgeable staff! My kids really enjoyed the interactive portions of the tours, and hiking to the dig-site, great day spent at the Blackwater Draw!! Good value!!!

I am thoroughly disgusted with Blackwater Draw Locality No. 1. The "visitor center" is a rather small house-like structure with one main room. There aren't any authentic artifacts from the archaeological site on display. There are a few bones on display. I was quite disappointed that there weren't any dinosaur bones. The bathrooms are very small and look like they haven't been cleaned in ages. If you are really interested in souvenirs you can buy an overpriced t-shirt with an image of a Clovis Point on it. The "main attraction" is an "ongoing" excavation that is housed by a sheet metal structure. If you've never seen a "bonebed" before, it might seem interesting. But if you're just passing through, it's not really worth seeing. A bonebed is basically just a pile of bones. It is presumed that these bones were left by humans during butchering activities thousands of years ago. Be aware that the building is not air conditioned. After you have seen the bonebed, you will continue on what I would call a nature trail... There are a few signs on the trail but they don't really give you any useful information. When you get done with the trail you will probably be wishing you had not paid the admission fee. You can call ahead and ask the site archaeologist for a guided tour. Our group had the guided tour with a Mr. George Crawford. Let's just say he is an unpleasant individual. I wish we had just taken a self-guided tour. That's about all I have to say for the BWD site. The BWD Museum on Highway 70 is about as bad as the site. In my humble opinion, save your three dollars and spend it on gasoline.

If you are looking for a lot of flash, and your mind is on vacation you may be bored. If you want to learn about our past, and have (or think you might have) any interest in archaeology, you'll enjoy Blackwater draw. There are two parts, a museum, and the dig site, located a few miles from the museum. Your $3 admission ($2 students, seniors) is good at both sites. You should tour the museum first, for an overview. It seems a little dry, reminding me of a typical 1950 museum. However the archaeology site is very interesting, and more than makes up for it. There are additional displays here, and a walking trail that will give you a feel for what it is like to be on a dig. Besides being a historical site, it is a working research site. They are currently working on long term climate research. The combined rating is based on the archaeological site being a 4, and museum a 2. However I found the overview gained from the museum helpful in appreciating the archaeological site.

This is a significant site in the history of American archeology that advanced our scientific knowledge of man's presence in North America. There are actually two parts to the Draw. There's a museum by the football stadium--and it's OLD, MUSTY, and confusing, Though there's some good information here, you have to ferret it out yourself. ENMU should, in my opinion, clear this place out and start over with clearer presentation of the artifacts. The site itself, however, is pretty awesome. This is where archeologists actually dug, and still dig, finding bones of mammoths, prehistoric bison, etc. You can walk a couple mile path with interesting markers throughout. Best of all--and see THIS if nothing else--is a building covering an active "bone bed" where artifacts are still being exposed and recovered. Pretty awesome. My 10 year old loved it. Modest admission fee paid at either the museum or the site covers both.