Slideshow: Echoes Of The Ancients

Rustling leaves of cottonwoods and aspens fluttering on the breezes. The melodious cascades of canyon wren songs raining down on you. These are some of the sounds you hear today in canyon country.

Missing, though, are the laughter of children scampering about the cliffs and running through canyon washes, the hammering of stones being fitted for walls, the sounds of every day life a thousand years ago.

Visit national parks of the Southwest and you’ll see remnants of an ancient society -- their well-placed cliff dwellings, smoke stains on rock overhangs, curious art works staring back at you from cliff walls.

These are the echoes of the ancients.

I’m Kurt Repanshek, editor in chief of National Parks Traveler. Let’s take a short trip into the past.

Traveler footnote: This slideshow works best with Quicktime. Just give it a minute or so to load.