Casamero is one of more than a hundred Chacoan outliers. Chaco Canyon, located about fifty miles to the north, was an important [Ancestral Puebloan] cultural and religious center that reached its peak between around A.D. 1040 and 1140. Although archaeologists are not quite sure how to define it, they recognize a close connection between the monumental sites in Chaco Canyon and Casamero and other outliers. The evidence of this here is apparent in site layout, architectural details, and the presence of a great kiva and two Chacoan roads.      To reach Casamero Pueblo, take the Prewitt exit from Interstate 40, 19 miles west of Grants, New Mexico. Head east on Route 66, then north on County Road 19 and continue 4 miles to a small parking area on the left. A short foot trail leads to the ruins. For Information call (505) 761-8700. Text from Ancient Ruins of the Southwest - David Grant Noble 2000.