Containing the most sweeping collection of ancient ruins north of Mexico, the park preserves one of the most important pre-Columbian cultural and historical areas in the United States. The park can only be accessed by driving on dirt roads. There are more kivas surrounding the main plaza than you can shake a stick at. If you love Native American and New Mexican art, then Hotel Chaco, a boutique hotel in Albuquerque, is a must-stay. As an important note, there are no public transportation options available; your journey to Chaco Canyon can only be taken by car. Built due to overpopulation and crowding at other great houses, Pueblo del Arroyo was constructed toward the end of Chaco Canyons period of large-scale growth in the mid-11th century. As a result, Chacoans had the ability to anticipate the movements of planets, stars, the moon, and the sun. The visitors center is a great place to find park information, chat with knowledgeable rangers, and get a sense for what you will see once you are walking along the ruins. We found our stop at the visitors center to be a nice way to ground our experience and ensure we made the most of the time we had there. The one-mile round-trip walk includes views of petroglyphs. The visitors center is staffed year round and is a starting place for your adventure here. Some archaeologists have compared their findings to the sites excavated in Egypt, which tell similar stories about the social and cultural societies built by people centuries ago. This is a wonderful way to experience both the Great Houses and canyon. Your next stop is Chetro Ketl, 4.5 miles from the visitor center. Check the parks website for the latest opening hours. Disappointing to say the least. If you are short on time, this is the place to spend it. Somewhere with reasonable selection of lodging options, stores and restaurants. With no running water, no power, no cell phone connection, this experience has always been what we consider an essential experience when visiting the southwest. Both routes can vary from very rough to impassable. Gallo campsites may be reserved in advance from March through October at $15 each. Besides writing for online travel magazines, she publishes a travel blog, teaches Hungarian as a foreign language, and works as a freelance translator. This will give you a chance to walk through all the rooms and explore the kivas. Chaco Culture National Historical Park Hotels and Lodges - Expedia To get a good feel for Chaco takes about 3 days 2 nights. Chaco Canyon's largest pueblo, Pueblo Bonito, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Simply visit Recreation.govor call (877) 444-6777 to make a reservation. (20 miles of dirt). The nearest city with air service is Farmington (New Mexico), about 60 miles north, which is served by a commuter airline (Mesa) that is a partner with United Airlines. Definitely not a good idea to take my Audi on that drive - it may have four wheel drive, but is not high enough to be good for the roads you see here . We visited in mid-October for the Albuequerque Balloon Festival and found it pleasant during the day, but cold at night. Chaco Canyon is dry and often has extreme temperaturesespecially during the hot summersso having extra water is a great idea. Besides watching the sky on your own, the park features a small observatory near the visitor center. And of course, you never know which one it will be until you get there. It's time our, Why some cities are planting 'trees that, With push for EVs, do California communities, Bryce Harper is back! Because it is tough to access and requires a bit of a commitment as far as your vacation time is concerned, make the most of your investment by planning to spend as long as possible there. More Information: Google Maps Location for Red Mesa Express. Its always worth running a search on airbnb.com and homeaway.com to see if there are any private homes available to rent for a night or two. (It would be a shame to drive all the way out here and be unable to stay. We stayed in Durango, CO the night before. This is of course, back when we used to do that sort of thing to our historical sites. 1 as the second, What to know about the Kentucky Derby draw, McCarthy replies to Russian reporter on Ukraine, Biden to end COVID vaccination requirement for, Biden seeks talks with McCarthy amid warning of, Speaker McCarthy defends Ukraine aid to Russian, First Republic Bank seized, sold to JPMorgan, Subaru recalls 4,000 vehicles because of safety, Akorn to shut down, recalls human, animal drugs. Chaco Canyon is located in northwestern New Mexico. I havent yet made it to Chaco Canyon, but I have been looking into it. For many years, people referred to the great houses in Chaco Canyon as ruins. To be updated with all the latest news, offers and special announcements. You earn it. Bloomfield, Aztec and Farmington, New Mexico, are the closest towns to Chaco Canyon National Historical Park's main north road. ', Drinking apple cider vinegar can be good for you, Can apple cider vinegar help with weight loss? Delta-8 use is exploding across the country. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. While exploring any of the ruins, make sure you carry water and wear a hat and sunscreen. Besides, when you camp here, youll have your own ruins at the campground, in an alcove. Visited Chaco canyon, and can say without a doubt, that it was the most unforgiving road I have every driven. Chaco Canyon camping at Gallo Campgrounds is a great option when visiting Chaco Culture National Historical Park and the nearby attractions in northwest New Mexico. Source: nps.gov. There is no public transportation to the park, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. 7 How tall is Chaco Canyon from sea level? Watch the sunset at the ruins. We plan to drive from Santa Fe to Chaco Canyon, visit teh canyon and the following day continue to Albuqureque. The main entrance into the park is from US Highway 550. Plan to stay until closing time for some of the best views and photo opportunities. Driving south out of the Park, you'll pass through some of the loneliest country you're likely to find anywhere. During really wet weather, we might be a little concerned about using a two wheel drive vehicle, and big touring bikes (Harleys, Gold Wings, and so on) are simply out of the question. If you were willing to camp, that would give you the most convenient access to the park, especially if you were planning on spending more than one day there. What is the closest town to Chaco Canyon? - KnowledgeBurrow The impressive masonry work at Chaco Canyon. It is located in the region known as the Four Corners, where the states of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico meet. The Anasazi who lived in Chaco Canyon are now referred to as Chacoans. The only real reason to go camping at Chaco Canyon is to visit Chaco Culture National Historical Park. There are a few reasonably decent hotels in Grants, or at least that is where I spent the night.This is what the NPS web site says:Keep in mind when driving through these places that there is literally nothing for many, many miles. Google Maps Location for Red Mesa Express, Bermuda: 15 Places to Visit Around the Island, Make Mine Virginia Wine: Wineries to Visit in the Old Dominion, The Kentucky Bourbon Trail and Distillery Tour in 1 Day, Monument Valley and Four Corners: A Visit to the USAs Iconic Wild West, Florence in One Day: What to See With Limited Time. Helping you travel longer for less since 2016! The following are the Chaco Culture National Historical Park highlights. Chaco Canyon lies in the true wilds of northwest New Mexico, 65 miles from the nearest town with a motel and of those 65 miles, 30 are dirt roads that may or may not be passable for a normal car. Extremely interesting, but will NEVER make the drive again. The largest and most impressive Chacoan great house is Pueblo Bonito. When visiting, it is possible to take either a professionally guided or a self-guided tour. Of course, the point of visiting Chaco Canyon is to view the ruins. Here's our Top for Fun list from our days camping in Chaco Canyon. However, any road in to Chaco, is worth the dust, bumps and heat. Firewood and food need to be brought into the campground. One of Adams favorite tips for any trip is to wear sunscreen, and that is doubly true at Chaco Canyon, where high altitudes (more than 6,000 feet above sea level!) The 4 1/2 miles before entering the park are very rough. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. However, in this case, being a famous site doesnt translate into being overcrowded. Each is about an hour and a half from the park's entrance. Albuquerque (151 miles via Highway 550, 3 hours) Santa Fe (178 miles via Highway 550, 3 hours) From the southwest: Chaco Canyon - Michael Ruark You may find a bit more selection a little farther in Farmington . Because of this remoteness, Chaco Culture National Historical Park is not the easiest National Park to visit. From Flagstaff, AZ, take I-40 EAST then Highway 191 NORTH. Great peaceful experience. We can verify that the roads are indeed rough. Built between 850 and 1150 A.D., it was the cultural center of the Chacoan world that covered a large area of the Southwest. If you are planning a visit to the amazing Pueblo ruins at Chaco Canyon and your searching for Chaco Canyon Camping because you are traveling in an RV, then Id like to share something with you about the area so you can make the most of your trip. If you don't want to camp, the closest town to Chaco Culture National Historical Park is Farmington. Please note that . Chaco Canyon served as a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture. The notion that it was a cultural and religious center comes from the evidence that it seems to have a larger than normal number of ceremonial areas too, compared to the number of people who were thought to live here. The largest and most spectacular great house in Chaco, Pueblo Bonito is also the most important in the area. Via Hwy 57(Hwy 14 on some maps): This turnoff is located on Highway 9, 13 miles east of Highway 371, at the former Seven Lakes Trading Post. Chaco Canyon, the Architectural Heart of the Anasazi - ThoughtCo Visiting Chaco Canyon - Hidden Mesa Check the parks website for the latest opening hours. When it comes to visiting Chaco Canyon, there is a vast amount of things to do if you love national parks and the outdoors. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Q: Where is the nearest gas station/food/lodging? One way to explore Chaco Culture National Historical Park is to bike. With such great distances and time between major cities, it makes sense to take advantage of Chaco Canyon camping and see other nearby remote attractions in northwest New Mexico. Its also believed that it was a major trade center because of the abnormally high number of storage areas found in the ruins and the existence of well-developed roads leading into the city. The trail is easy, though it has a few rocky areas and it might get slippery when wet . To visit Chaco Canyon is to immerse yourself in an incredible number of notable spots of social, spiritual, and historical significance. We stayed at Motel 6. Trail of The Ancients Scenic Byway | New Mexico Drives The national park contains an interesting collection of ancient ruins that date back over 1,000 years. It seems that the word Anasazi is actually a Navajo word that means Ancient enemy. But its more than that. From the north, turn off US 550 at CR 7900--3 miles southeast of Nageezi and approximately 50 miles west of Cuba (at mile 112.5). Linking Chetro Ketl and Pueblo Bonito is a small detour that takes you to a cemetery. How long does it take to tour Chaco Canyon? RVs up to 35 feet can fit in the campground, but theres no water at the sites, no power, and no sewer, although there is a dump station in the campground. The ruins of Hungo Pavi at Chaco Canyon National Monument. There are all sorts of trails once you get into the Chaco Canyon site. The vsitor center has a store, but youll only find snacks there. Three decades after leaving Romania, this background still helps her appreciate and connect with people of different backgrounds, which shows up in her articles, which highlight the culture, history, and legends of the places she visits. Considering it is the largest site, plan on spending most of your visit here. Follow the rules of the road and be alert for vehicles. Chaco Canyon is not situated near any major city; the closest city is Albuquerque, which is between 2.5 and 3 hours away. s.src = u + '?v=' + (+new Date()); Follow the cairns back towards Pueblo Bonito until you reach the lookout. Your first stop should be the visitor center, where you can pick up a brochure and learn as much as possible about the park. And due to COVID restrictions, you need to reserve the campground beforehand (not on the same day). To give you a starting pointfor your trip research, we looked at what people say about hotels near Chaco Canyon. You wont have a lot of choices when it comes to lodging, especially at the park itself: aside from camping, the closest town will be Farmington, New Mexico, which is 90 minutes north and has several hotel choices. You can visit the Chaco Culture National Historical Park, which lies in the northwestern part of New Mexico between Albuquerque and Farmington. Bandelier is an excellent park and a must do when were in the Santa Fe area have pages on that one too. The trail is easy, though it has a few rocky areas and it might get slippery when wet (an extremely rare occurrence at Chaco). While, the closest options overall are from the north in Bloomfield, approximately 60 miles from the park. Guided tours are offered regularly from May until October each year, and self-guided tours are easily completed based on your speed and interest in the buildings and sites located along the parks Canyon Loop Drive. You may notice that we keep calling the folks who lived here the Ancient Pueblo Peoples, and not Anasazi as they have been called in the past. Vehicle Entrance Fee: $25.00 for 7 days This permit allows all persons traveling in one private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van) to enter the park to visit for up to 7 days from the date of purchase. The northern and southern routes include 13, 20, and 33 miles of dirt roads, respectively. Chaco Culture National Historical Park Entrance Fee, Things to Do in Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Even when regarding all of the obstacles, the park is still very much worth visiting. It would seem to be not quite true to claim that Chaco Canyon is near anything at all, and that for us is the point. Chaco Canyon is remembered as a gathering place in the lore of todays Pueblo and Navajo tribes. Bloomfield, Aztec and Farmington, New Mexico, are the closest towns to Chaco Canyon National Historical Park's main north road. 4 ways to help you, Lifesavers: Your iPhone or Apple Watch can, Todays top money market account rate roundup, 14 things banned at Disney World that you may not be aware of, How herring fishermen may get SCOTUS to reel in Washington's power, Sophie Turner says video of daughter on Instagram was an accident, 'Devastated': Army names 3 soldiers killed in Alaska helicopter crash, DeSantis OKs death penalty for child rape, defying US Supreme Court, First Republic Bank seized, sold to JPMorgan Chase: What to know, Snoop Dogg emerges as member of group interested in buying NHL team, Who is Karl Lagerfeld? We were on a week long road trip with numerous stops. Chaco Culture National Historical Park - New Mexico After you watch the video below, click on this link for Chaco Canyon Camping if you will be travelling in an RV. The trail begins in earnest atop the ridge with a fine view of Kin Kletso in the valley below. Among the great houses, Pueblo Bonito is the most famous and is the largest prehistoric structure in North America. We stayed in Santa Fe the night before visiting Chaco Canyon and Farmington the night afterward. From Kayenta, AZ, take Route 59 SOUTHEAST then Highway 191 SOUTH. Please note that some roads recommended by Google, map publishers and mapping services using GPS are unsafe for passenger cars.