(Kivas are partially underground structures used by Puebloans for religious ceremonies.) I think the original poster means Mesa Verde when he/she typed MV, not Monument Valley. A hat and sun screen is advisable. 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. Casa Grande National Monument. Chaco Canyon National Historical Park is a treasure, but visiting the remote site takes some pre-planning. (See map here.) Currently in The Southwest with a wonderful husband, a rescue dog named Gaia. View all posts by Jen, Looks great. This is the most magical, spectacular, unique site in the United States, what a place! Pueblo Bonito. Pueblo BonitoRuins of Pueblo Bonito at Chaco Canyon. Its possible that all sorts of activities centered around trade, culture, religion, and even art could have taken place here and spread its influence all throughout the Colorado Plateau. Petrified Logs * #5. One night at Chaco is not enough. In its prime, the mysterious Chaco Canyonwhat is now Chaco Culture National Historical Parkwas a central gathering place for tens of thousands of Ancestral Puebloan peoples between 850 and 1250 A.D. "We don't know why advanced society chose to live [there]it's such a hard place to live," said G.B. */ Even as an 11-year-old at Yosemite, I knew immediately I was somewhere awe-inspiring, and I still get that feeling to this day every time I visit Chaco Canyon. Be prepared to do some walking! This stretch of road is desert hardpan. This route is signed from US 550 to the park boundary (21 miles). Chetro Ketl - A large great house an possible ceremonial center dating to 900 AD. For a deeper contact with the canyon that was central to . We love to hike, hunt for crystals and minerals, and visit historic sites and ruins scattered throughout the southwest. The NPS doesn't mention needing 4 wheel drive or high clearance but multiple comments on here mention needing them. But spending the night elsewhere isn't an option either, as it would mean loosing a full day at MV. Stuart Kenny Monday 27 Feb 2023 12:01 am. Both the Chacoans and the Incas were master builders. WARNING: They were inefficient, took forever to do the rental (and my credit card was cloned on that trip - could have been them or any of the gas stations) but we got a great deal on an old beater of a cruise america rv, and we had fun in our first time in a "real" rv. Mouth of Wash #7. We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location. When Janelle Ortega's cousin from Mexico is found brutally murdered at a remote petroglyph site in Saguaro National Park, she and her husband, archaeologist Chuck Bender, are drawn deep into a threatening web of hostility and deceit stretching . Save yourself alot of time by spending the night at Gallo Campgrounds. Pueblo BonitoRuins of Pueblo Bonito at Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Every two minutes, I considered turning around. Places like Mesa Verde come immediately to mind, but the area is scattered with many more out of the way places that can really make an adventure to the southwest something special. Being completely different cultures in different periods in different parts of the word, I wouldn't expect too many similarities. The site looks ncludes a 9 mile drive with several stops to get out and see the remains of settlements from 1200AD and earlier. I wouldn't even attempt to compare the Grecian ruins to those of the early puebloan cultures. This area of New Mexico is home to a fantastic network of pueblo ruins built by ancient Anasazi people that date back to AD 850. Are we talking about piles of rocks where kivas used to be, or rough foundations remaining? 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. The gravel section isn't too bad but very dusty when it's dry. (Highway 371 will take you to Bisti Wilderness as well. Google theorizes that the poor road conditions keep out large-volume tour bus traffic and helps preserve the park, which only has minimal facilities. November through February is on a first come, first served basis. It's small and doesn't take much time to visit. By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. Best time to visit: Avoid the winter due to snow and ice. When kids in the family reach the age of curiosity, a visit to the national historical park near Nageezi, New Mexico, U.S., should be in the cards. Learn from my misadventures: If youre traveling in theSouthwestern U.S., be sure to research all road conditions! Chetro Ketl A large great house an possible ceremonial center dating to 900 AD. Some Im back on the road, I have collected a list of my favorite travel items that I have discovered this year that have made my life easier. As long as it is not raining or snowing you should be just fine. Its about3 hours (161 miles) northwest of Albuquerque, or 90 minutes (75 miles) southeast from Farmington. Although there are some hikes available, all the main attractions are within a short distance from the 9 mile Canyon Loop Drive. The "Chaco Culture," as modern-day archaeologists call it, flourished between roughly the 9 th and 13 th centuries A.D. and was centered at Chaco Canyon in what is now New Mexico. Pueblo BonitoOne of the standing walls of Pueblo Bonito with windows. Of course it is worth seeing. Hungo Pavi,The Great House of Hungo Pavi was tucked up next to the rocks. Truly an amazing place to visit. The people. The dirt road is not maintained by the state, nor the National Park Service. READ ARTICLE. Reservations are accepted online, and its $15.00 to camp. That one full day was enough to have a very full experience of Chaco, including two ranger-led programs and visits to three of the great houses. more. Budget travelers can try staying with alocal on Couchsurfing since there are no hostels in Farmington. Short self-guided trails are marked at each site. Your email address will not be published. When you return to the parking lot, head over to Pueblo del Arroyo for one last glimpse of a Chacoan great house before calling it a day. Keep an eye on the weather during any visit to Chaco Canyon. In Hiking, New Mexico, North America, Outdoors, Places of Worship & Ruins, United States by Erik @ DIY Travel HQJuly 26, 2019Leave a Comment. Specialties: Red Roof Inn Gallup is 100% smoke-free and conveniently located near Historical Downtown, the Gallup Convention Center, the Mural Art Center and the Gallup Cultural Center. It's some years ago and I checked my notes but it took almost all day from SF to drive, visit and drive from there to Durango a visit to Aztec Ruins (also recommended) included. While it is possible to visit the Canyon on a day trip, camping is a fun option. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Be aware that the area is open range, so livestock crossing the road is likely. It was impressive but nothing is as stunning as Pueblo Bonito. A lot of people have stated they took the north road to Chaco because it was "the recommended route", but everything else my family is planning to do is south of Grants, and it doesn't make a lot of sense with the rest of the trip to both enter and leave via US 550. The visitors center is staffed year round and is a starting place for your adventure here. The noise didnt die down until after 10pm. It Turns out though, that theres no particular reason to think that the Anasazi were enemies of the Navajo, any more than they were anyone elses enemy. the problem is that there is no spoken or written history left over from the Anasazi, so we actually have no idea what they called themselves. My opinion, 4 nights, if you plan to break up your activities and spend the mid-day hours sheltered from the sun and wind, would be the absolute longest I'd want to be there unless it was in a really nice (overland capable) RV. We crept along the dusty road and tried not to wake the rest of the campground. When itdries, it's as hard as rock and all the ruts and washboards remain until the next rain. While theyre passable by just about any vehicle, they had a lot of wash boarding which makes for a rough ride thats hard on your car. 50 % of order total. Colorado State Patrol and Vitalant are partnering up to combat the decline of blood donations in winter months, according to a . Related The second is about 5 miles from US-550 on CR-7900 going to Chaco Canyon right where you take a sharp right turn toward Chaco Canyon. Guest houses are too far away - you'll spend all your time driving. We recommend booking Chaco Culture National Historical Park tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Is this too much time? Wayne and his family own Horsethief Campground, a Dry Camp area, just past the end of the pavement. The dirt road on the last stretch was not too bad, definitely easier and quicker than going the other way. I literally screamed Hallelujah! out loud. I was clearly in the right place! To see photos and get more info on Chaco, visit http://www.nps.gov and go to CHaco. Chaco Culture National Historical Park (Nageezi) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go. 1. On the other hand, Mesa Verde is more scenic, where Chaco is in a pretty austere desert setting, but both are beautiful in their own way. There is a maximum of 6 people, 2 tents, and 2 cars per campsite. I remember that dirt road to and fro 550 which already took 1.5 hours. The big Pueblo Bonito was partially destroyed by a rock in the '40's, but it's still very obvious how things were laid out, and there are many other sites. Lower your tire pressure and then head on to Chaco. Well be driving to/from Sedona. I smiled. You have at least a 1/2 hour drive on dirt roads to get to the park. It's bumpy. jQuery(function($){ September and October are ideal for visiting the Chaco Canyon as the daytime temperatures are in the low 80s and high 20s, and you can see the weather is mostly stable. It's more than just a little fascinating studying what is known of the ancient and far reaching Chaco culture. The Gallo Campgrounds are closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and day, and New Years Eve and day during this time period. Extremely interesting, but will NEVER make the drive again. The course includes 8 miles of paved road and 13 miles of rough dirt road. We learned so much about the history of . Chaco Canyon can only be visited by driving on dirt roads. Fees/Camping: $16 per vehicle for 7-day pass; camping is $15 per site and must be reserved in advance. I backed up about 100 yards to a nearby driveway and turned around. There is also industrial traffic from oil fields in the area. Archaeologists, historians, and writers have devoted entire lifetimes to studying Chaco Culture National Historic Park. Absolutely the best way to visit Chaco Canyon is to camp there 2-3 nights, hiking in daytime. if(!a.test(this.href)) { Without a literal translation, the word apparently has negative meanings that go beyond simply, Ancient Enemy.. It was only a 21- mile detour off the main road. You should also dress accordingly. For more details check out our World Nomads review here. The best route is from the North via US 550. 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. the dirt road wasn't too bad and the Park wasn't crowded so you can enjoy walking around the site and appreciate all of its wonder. We bought the self-guided booklets from the visitor center for the main sites here. No Last Updated on: 6th February 2023, 03:17 pm Before you visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico, here's a list of everything you need to know - from access to biking to hiking to camping to soaking in the essence of Ancestral Puebloan culture on a journey into a canyon sacred for thousands of people between AD 850 and AD 1250. Ranger programs can be found on the park calendar. You can walk ancient paths and tour millennium-old great houses. Chaco Culture National Historical Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and certified International Dark Sky Park, is considered one of the most important cultural and historical areas in the world. Our savior was Wayne. The age of curiosity is time to visit Chaco Canyon. When we were there last, the road was in pretty good shape. From mid-May to mid-October, visitors are required to take a shuttle bus from the White Rock visitor center to access the main visited area of Bandelier National Monument between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Free shipping for many products! The next several attractions in Chaco Canyon are within walking distance of each other. 2023|An affiliate website brought to you by. Also, forty-eight degrees is much colder than I expected for the middle of June. Ranger programs can be found on the park calendar. Get hold of a trail guide booklet at the Visitor Center before you start your hike, and irrespective of the trail you choose, your walk will give you a chance to experience a unique landscape amid ruins unlike anywhere else in the world. It is also possible to see the wood timbers that helped frame the structure. Chaco Canyon is a wonderful location that offers a great opportunity to visit one of the largest ancestral Puebloan ruins in the American Southwest. In fact, the grader was actively working the road when we came in. I was driving 10 mph, and my car was shaking so violently that I thought it might fall apart at any second. At about 15 miles you hit the end of the county maintained gravel road. Cell signal is minimal do NOT rely on GPS! If you ever get a chance to walk in the footsteps of the ancients and explore the oldest settlement in America, its an experience you will never forget. Preferably something small like a VW Westphalia or small class B RV. Hungo Pavi is the first Chacoan great house you will come across on the Canyon Loop Drive. A short drive away is the trail to Pueblo Bonito Lookout with Kin Kletso at the base of the ascent. Albq has pretty limited options for rv rental, and noplace I could find for a westfalia type. We would have needed at least two days to explore the riches of this place but only had a half-day. $(this).click(function(event) { This dry campsite appeals to both tent campers and RV campers alike, given they can traverse the long, unmaintained dirt road leading into the park. Continue north on Highway 550 north for 36 miles until just before Nageezi. Google Maps said the journey would take about 75 minutes, but it ended up taking closer . If you take the other road, drive to Grants, take 605 and 509 all the way to Pueblo Pintado and to Chaco. It was a blur of places across four continentsboth new and oldand reunions with old friends. event.preventDefault(); Plan 1 day for Chaco, staying in Farmington or Durango. I slowed to about 5 mph in 1st gear to try to minimize the shaking. Perhaps one day I will walk these roads in the footsteps of the ancient ones. Located near a small cave ruin, there are no shaded areas, so come prepared. at its most special time. The weather is best in the spring and fall (Sept. Oct.). Easy terrain, but no shade. The altitude combined with the heat, constant wind and dry climate is fatiguing if you're not accustomed to it. The road to the north of the park is shorter and more frequently traveled. Chaco Canyon sites are located on the leeward side of large mountain peaks to the south and west, creating a rainshadow effect that adds to the region's overall lack of rainfall. Farmington is your best bet for a place to stay and still allow most of a day in Chaco. Some of the roads in the area (including the CR7500 near Bisti Wilderness area) are improving due to the oil companies working in the area. Traveling to Chaco is an event. And I wasn't comparing the ruins to the Grecian ones. The first thing you see is Gallo Campground. There are so many reasons to visit Chaco Canyon in New Mexico. Hunger didnt matter, the biting cold didnt matter. 1 Visiting Chaco Canyon 1.1 Driving to Chaco Canyon 2 Chaco Ruins, the Archaeological Site 2.1 Una Vida 2.2 Hungo Pavi 2.3 Next Stop 2.4 Chetro Ketl 2.5 The Petroglyph Trail 2.6 Pueblo Bonito 3 A Hike to the Mesa Top 3.1 Klin Kletso 3.2 The Trail to the Top 3.3 At the Overlook 3.4 At the Casa Rinconada, Home of the Great Kiva Remnants of Turbulent Streambed #3. There are two reasons for this. Explore the park through the day or enjoy a night in the canyon, camping, and stargazing. Stay on the trail. (LogOut/ The historic city lay in, "The Old Tucson attraction has a new operator that plans to operate the site as a theme park and filming location." Cancel Fee: fee will be applied if you do not call road scholar participant services at least one business day prior to the program start date. Chaco Canyon is a very interesting and compelling place. Pierced with clutch backs. Note: The Fall date (Oct 8-15, 2022) has changed since we published our Winter 2022 catalog. We were there one night when one of the group sites was occupied by the Albuquerque Astronomical Society; a group of friendly people willing to share their views from their amazing telescopes. I was planning a full day to get to MV. And of course, you never know which one it will be until you get there. It is about 29 miles from SR 550 near Nageezie to Chaco Canyon. 2-5/16"L x 15/16"W. Stamped .925 sterling silver; oxidized finish. Chaco Canyon is not a place to "stop" by. And now we've added Moab and Bryce and the Grand Canyon, so we're skipping most of the NM stuff. Sean suggested a few places to stop on the way including Chaco Canyon, a national park known for pueblo ruins from the 9thcentury. Both roads can be a mess after rain. Then, a small RV appeared on the horizon strategically maneuvering all the ruts in the road. I boiled some water, sipped some Navajo tea (greenthread), and watched the big dipper cross the windshield. Hiking off-trail causes erosion, and is why we can no longer hike to view the sun dagger at Fajada Butte. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. }); The Visitor Center is open from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. For that reason, experts in the field have started using the term Ancient Pueblo Peoples out of courtesy to the present day Puebloans, and, quite truthfully, because we have no idea what they originally called themselves. The next 4+ miles of road into Chaco has the worst washboards I have ever seen. Chaco Canyon Adventure $147 BOOK NOW. The land here is not public access. My fingers tightened on the steering wheel as the gravel faded into a washboard dirt road. A black dot appeared on the horizon like a desert mirage and bounced closer into view. Terri. 100 % of order total. Would love to stay longer but could not imagine driving it again when we were to leave. 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. BOOK ONLINE. From there, a 9-mile loop road accesses five major Chacoan sites, including Pueblo Bonito. The back way is also unpaved, but the condition is fine for passenger (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? $('a').each(function() { To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. 12.The Blue Hole. Wings * #2. Imagine this light show in the enclosed Kiva, it would have been even more dramatic. I think the turn-off is about 10 miles down and is on the left. The largest and most spectacular great house in Chaco, Pueblo Bonito is also the most important in the area. 1970s Vintage Booklet Pueblo Bonito Chaco Canyon National Monument New Mexico | Collectibles, Paper, Ephemera | eBay! Sign up for my adventure updates, tips, location guides & expert interviews! But I keep hearing of all these other places that are better, and I wonder if we'll go to all the hassle of getting there and then be disappointed. Here you can appreciate what the building looks like without excavation. With Chaco Canyon now declared a national park and UNESCO World Heritage site, visitors to Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico can marvel at the remains of 12 great houses and. Its 20.5 miles from the turn off to the park but itll take you a good hour possibly depending on road conditions. Each Chacoan great house ruin has unique characteristics with Pueblo Bonito as the highlight in the middle of them all. 7. Every month of 2022 felt like a different life. The irony in this is that this whole trip started with a desire to see Chaco Canyon. United States - Best month for NW New Mexico - We are planning a girls trip to NW New Mexico and are wondering if Mid May would be a good time. We are planning a family visit the end of June (I know it will be hot). A visit to the Homestead Crater in Heber Valley, Utah, makes for a fantastic experience. There's a lot of walking (and climbing) to be done and it just could not be accomplished in the time we had there. Very hot in the daytime; very cold at night. The view was surreal and worth every minute of the terrible drive. Over 50,000 pieces of turquoise were found in a single room in Pueblo Bonito, which is more than was found in all other archaeological sites in the American Southwest combined. There is a 9-mile paved loop around the most well-preserved great houses, with options for parking near each site. 13.Tse Bitai (Shiprock) New Mexico is called the Land of Enchantment. The pure excitement of being in this ancient place kept me awake. Chaco Canyon is located inside Chaco Culture National Historical Park. Unplug and explore the Yampa River Canyon, one of the last rare wildernesses left to explore in the country.