Visit Chaco Canyon National Historic Park

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Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves one of America's most significant cultural and historic areas. Chaco Canyon was a major center of Puebloan culture between AD 850 and 1250. The Chacoan sites are part of the sacred homeland of Pueblo Indian peoples of New Mexico, the Hopi Indians of Arizona, and the Navajo Indians of the Southwest, all of whom continue to respect and honor them. Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a very special place. Remote and isolated, it offers few amenities, so come prepared. You will find that the rewards are unlimited.

Ruins of Casa Rinconada

Chaco Museum Collection
The Chaco Collection contains approximately one million artifacts from over 120 sites in Chaco Canyon and the surrounding region. Because most of the artifacts were systematically collected and documented, the collections are extremely valuable for scientific studies.

Climate
At 6200 feet elevation Chaco's weather can be extreme; sometimes varying 60 degrees in the same day! Winter days hover in the teens, spring winds frequently blow, summer days may approach the upper 90's and thunderstorms occur from July to September. Come prepared for all extremes.

A 20 km segment of Chaco Wash courses through the park. Its flows are derived from summer thunderstorms and winter snowmelt within a 2,175 km2 watershed. The wash is presently incised into a steep-walled arroyo which has a well-developed floodplain and a small inner channel on the arroyo floor.

Operating Hours and Seasons

Visitor Center

Operating Hours & Seasons

The park is open everyday from sunrise to sunset. The Visitor Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The park visitor center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day, in observance of these holidays, but the park's roads, sites, trails and campground will remain open.

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Directions
Chaco Canyon is located in northwestern New Mexico. The preferred and recommended access route to the park is from the north, via US 550 (formerly NM 44) and County Road (CR) 7900, and CR 7950.

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). This route is clearly signed from US 550 to the park boundary (21 miles). The route includes 8 miles of paved road (CR 7900) and 13 miles of rough dirt road (CR7950).

From the south, two routes access Chaco from Highway 9, which runs between Crownpoint, Pueblo Pintado, and Cuba. Both routes can vary from very rough to impassable. Not recommended for RVs. If you are traveling from the south, please call ahead for the latest conditions.

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. (20 miles of dirt)

Via Pueblo Pintado: At the community of Pueblo Pintado, turn north on Navajo 46 for 10 miles (rough dirt). Turn left on County Road 7900 for 7 miles (some rough dirt). Turn left on County Road 7950, and follow the signs 16 miles to the park entrance (3 miles paved and 13 of rough dirt road).

The northern and southern routes include 13, 20, and 33 miles of dirt roads, respectively. These sections of road are infrequently maintained, and they can become impassable during inclement weather. If you have an RV and are not planning on camping in the park, you may want to leave the RV and drive a car into the park. Call the park (505-786-7014) for current road conditions.

Plane
The nearest airports are Farmington, NM, Durango,CO, and Albuquerque, NM.

There is no public transportation to the park

Be sure to check weather and road conditions before venturing into the park.

Hwy 57 (14). Rough road not recommended for RV's.


Hwy 57 (14) entering park from the south. Road can be rough and rutted. May be impassable.

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Vehicle:

$8 good for 7 days
This fee covers all occupants of a private vehicle (non comercial).

Individual Pass:

$4 good for 7 days
This fee covers motocycles, bicyclists, and non commercial bus passengers.

Commercial Tours:

Bus - large 26+ seats $100
Bus - small 7 - 25 seats $40
Passenger Van 1-6 seats $25 plus $4.00 individual pass for each passenger.

These fees apply to commercial tour buses. NOTE: Group size is determined by vehicle seating capacity not the actual number of passengers.

Camping:

$10.00 per day -- First come first served.
Campers with Golden Age or Golden Access cards pay $5.00 per day

Group Camping:

Two group campsites (10 to 30 people in each). Call for reservations.

$2.00 per person, per night, with a minimum fee of $25.00 per site. Campers with Golden Age or Golden Access cards pay $1.00 per person, per day.

 

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