Chaco Culture National Historical Park

The Chaco dwellings were built and occupied primarily between about 850 and 1250 AD, during which time they were the hub of a remarkable network of transportation routes, many of which survive today as the "roads" of Chaco. They fell into disuse after 1300, probably due to climate change, although descendants of the Chacoans and other tribes remained aware of the ancestral pueblos. The present park was one of the first units of the National Park System to be formed specifically to protect archaeological resources, being first formed as Chaco Canyon National Monument in 1907 (shortly after Mesa Verde National Park, which also started as a national monument rather than a park). The monument achieved national-park status in 1980 and Pueblo Bonito became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.

Chaco is in canyon/mesa country, like most of northwestern New Mexico, but the topography in the park isn't as spectacular as in some other areas of the state; the visitor center, in the canyon bottom, is at an elevation of about 6200 feet, and the surrounding mesas rise only about 400 feet above this level. The canyon is wide and open for most of its length, unlike the narrow "slot canyons" to the northwest in Utah. This, of course, is why there's a park here: the openness of the canyon provided enough room to build the pueblos and grow crops. Note that this elevation is high enough to challenge the lungs of the visitor freshly up from sea level. You may find yourself a bit short of breath when hiking, so if you're going to be there overnight, it's recommended that you do the "easy" trails along the main loop first to get acclimatized somewhat, then the longer, more vertical backcountry trails on your second day.

Most of the rock comprising the mesas as well as the canyon floor is sedimentary, and consequently tends toward flat bedding planes that are interrupted by relatively few faults and folds. As a result, one of the hiking challenges is that the transition between individual geological formations along the canyon walls can be steep. This is incentive to stay on the constructed trails in the backcountry; you'll want to do that anyway, as off-trail hiking is generally prohibited and the prohibition is enforced.

One of the signature features of Chaco is Fajada Butte near the south entrance. This narrow, steep-walled butte rises about 400 feet above the canyon and is notable for artifacts including the "Sun Dagger," verified by Anna Sofaer as an astronomical observatory/clock used by the Chacoans to predict and document the solstices, equinoxes, and the approximately 18.5 year lunar cycle. Dr. Sofaer's research is available at www.solsticeproject.org. This website, in particular, is a must for visitors who wish to inform themselves before the magical experience of a Chaco visit. Fajada Butte is no longer open to hikers, but a roadside turnout near the south entrance leads to a viewpoint from which it can be seen and photographed to good advantage. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times to photograph Fajada.

Chaco has high-desert flora, with sagebrush, cactus, etc., interspersed with small bits of piñon/juniper scrub forest, the latter primarily on the mesa tops. Chaco receives less precipitation (average 8 inches per year) than some other parts of New Mexico at similar latitude and elevation, and consequently does not have the coniferous forest of some areas to its east. Plant life is generally sparse.

Animal life too is not as abundant as elsewhere in the state, but wildlife encounters are still reasonably frequent. The largest animal you're likely to see is the ubiquitous coyote, although you may also see a deer or two. Elk and antelope are present in the region but rarely encountered in the park. Smaller carnivores such as bobcat, badger, fox and two species of skunk are sometimes seen, and rodents are locally abundant, with a few prairie-dog towns in the park. Small colonies of bats are present during the summer.

The shortage of water reduces the prevalence of bird life as well, but Chaco is still an island of at least relative avian abundance and diversity in this region. With luck you'll see a roadrunner or two, but don't count on it; they're rare here. The usual assortment of medium to large hawks (Cooper's hawk and kestrel are fairly common), owls (more often heard than seen), vultures and raven are present, if less abundant than in the mountains to the east. There are reasonably large populations of smaller birds, with warblers, sparrows, house finches, etc., common. Three species of hummingbirds are at hand, and one of the treats of late summer is watching the tiny but incredibly pugnacious rufous hummingbirds chasing off the larger, mellower black-chinned hummers that compete with the rufous for habitat. It's like watching a World War I aerial dogfight in miniature. Rufous hummers are rare in the park, however, and you'll be lucky to get this visual treat.

Western (prairie) rattlesnakes are occasionally seen in the backcountry, but you're much more likely to see various lizards scurrying along the tops of restored walls of structures, with skinks being fairly abundant.

Chaco, like most of northwestern New Mexico, has a high desert climate with four distinct seasons. Spring is dry and windy, with high temperatures rising rapidly from an average of 60 °F (16 °C) or so in March to over 80 °F (27 °C) in June. Summer is hot, with highs frequently above 90 °F (32 °C), and with much of the average year's precipitation falling in isolated, brief but violent thunderstorms. However, it's the legendary "dry heat" that doesn't feel nearly as hot as in regions with higher humidity. Cooling starts in August and leads to a dry, temperate fall season that is usually a good time to visit Chaco. Winter is also pleasant with highs around 50 °F (10 °C) and clear skies, although there are usually three or four frontal storms each winter that bring snow, usually in small quantities but with the occasional major snowstorm. The remoteness of the park is such that it's a good idea to check a weather forecast before visiting in the winter; Farmington, about 60 miles (100 km) away, usually experiences similar weather, and its current conditions and forecast are updated regularly. If there's significant snow (say 6 in/15 cm or more) in the forecast, it's wise to defer your trip unless you're particularly well prepared for snowy roads.

There are four trails leading to remote pueblos, all available for day use and closed after sundown. Probably the most interesting is the trail to Peñasco Blanco pueblo, which has become famous for a well-preserved pictograph thought by some to represent the great supernova of 1054. This pictograph is under a rock alcove below the main Peñasco Blanco structures. Please treat it respectfully; this is a rare find in the world of anthropology. This trail crosses a wash that can be dangerously full of water if there have been thunderstorms upstream.

All trails require free permits available at the visitor center or the trailheads. Hiking boots are a good idea, and carry plenty of water. Off-trail hiking is generally not allowed.

Bicycling is a good way to get around the main tourist loop, and in addition, there are two backcountry trails that offer mountain biking. Wijiji trail is shared with hikers and is a short (about 3 miles), easy ride that should take under an hour. A more serious undertaking is the ride to Kin Klizhin, an "outlier" site archaeologically related to the main canyon sites but well removed from the canyon itself. The ride to Kin Klizhin takes one southwest out of the canyon and into some very lonely country, and is about a 25-mile (40 km) round trip. Go well prepared with water, repair kit, etc.

The exceptionally dark night skies of Chaco provide good opportunities for amateur astronomers who bring their own telescopes, but even better, in 1998 the park opened its own observatory with a large (25") telescope and modern equipment that the visitor can share. During the summer there are interpretive programs by park staff, supplemented by members of The Albuquerque Astronomical Society who bring equipment, give lectures, etc. Information on the program may be available at the Society's web page, but the Chaco information does not appear to have updated since 2004.

Most of the major Chaco pueblos are photogenic, but a few tips to improve your chances of getting some good shots:

• These ancestral pueblos are known as great houses, and they are massive. Wide-angle lenses are useful.
• Many of the "commercial" shots that you see are difficult for the average traveler to duplicate, because you're required to stay on the trails (and the requirement is enforced), limiting your opportunities to get shots from above. Views of the Pueblo Bonito and Chetro Ketl sites are reached by trails that do lead to vantage points above the ancestral pueblos, and are therefore better suited for this kind of shot than some others.
• As in many such sites, photographs taken during the middle of the day can look somewhat flat, particularly in the height of summer. Plan on using your camera at sunrise and sunset if feasible. Fajada Butte, one of the park's iconic features, is particularly attractive at such times, with shadows that create interest.
• You'll have a hard time incorporating much green and growing vegetation into your shots, but the vegetation, such as it is, is most photogenic early in the spring (if there's been some snow) and again early in the fall.

Though NM 57 doesn't access Chaco Culture Park directly, for the intrepid outdoorsperson who wants to explore the area further, the 🌍 Ah-Shi-Sle-Pah Wilderness is situated along this route and can be reached with careful planning, if nothing else than via US 550 north of Nageezi. Needless to say it is isolated and furthermore requires some hiking to reach. It features stately and obscure sandstone formations for an overall otherworldly experience. A parking lot for the trailhead, denoted by the pin, is situated along NM 57 about 18.3 mi southwest from its intersection with US 550.

The nearest hotels and motels are in Farmington and Bloomfield, about 60 miles north, and in communities along Interstate highway 40 (e.g. Gallup and Grants), a further distance south.

The park includes a single, rudimentary campground. Fee $10/site/night ($5 with NPS Park Pass). There is no potable water, but bottled water may be purchased at the visitor center, or water containers filled from the park's water system. Vehicles (RVs, trailers) must be no longer than 30 feet. The campsites are first-come, first-served. In the non-winter seasons, the park rangers host a star party on Tu, F and Sa. evenings, complete with telescopes and advice on timely things worth seeing in the night skies.

The Gallo Campground has flush toilets and sinks with wash water (not for drinking). In 2008, the campground was limited to 35 spaces and no group camping while the wastewater treatment system is being repaired and upgraded. Check with the park, and try to arrive around noon to get a campsite. There are both drive-in and walk-in campsites. The walk-in campsites tend to be more interesting and private.

The ranger talks and star parties are worth staying overnight in the park.

No backcountry camping or backpacking is permitted within the park.