chaco canyon camping

Stay in a yurt, cabin, tent, or even a wagon.

Hiking in a drizzle of rain may seem fun, however, if it is pouring it will become hard to walk in some places.

Campsite #2, 3, 5 – 11, 18, 19, 20 – 28, 30 – 32, 34, 35. Available for order $99+, Where to find FREE or Cheap RV Sites Camping (2021). In addition to the great houses, the landscape is littered with smaller structures – I found some just walking along the canyon rim. Thanks for all the info; I feel as if I had another visit there. Allegedly, the pictograph represents a stellar explosion in 1054 A.D.

Love this post! $20 per motorbike, providing access to the park for 7 days.

Directions: See Directions and a Breakdown of Road Conditions below – this includes directions from all points. As you can see, you must keep an eye on the weather at Chaco Canyon. The site is located just 15 miles south of Bloomfield and is most popular amongst families, hikers, and campers touring the four corners of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. Don't despair, though – there's a tiny one-room ruin right in the campground. Hi guys!

Thanks Campskunk for another wonderful history lesson….I had no idea of the expanse of the site.

As you know, the South Mesa Trail was our favorite hike – we’ve done that trail in both directions and it gets better each time.

$25 per vehicle (non-commercial), providing access to the park for 7 days. Your Drifters,

Recently came back from hiking to Keet Seel at Navajo National Monument and already planning to get to Horseshoe Canyon (part of Canyonlands) and Cathedral Valley in Capitol Reef.

Seeing the amazing views and learning the history of the area is a must. Thanks for the info. Similar to countless others before me I posed that question to park rangers, likely exasperated by this common query. We have some more recommendations for hiking around Albuquerque on our blog, too. If the visitor centre is closed when you arrive, place any fees in the drop box at the entrance of the campground. Another striking feature to look for on the loop trail is Jackson Stairway.

I’m adding to the bucket list! I also was amazed by the photography. Enjoy the beautiful night sky with nearby campers, or hit the dirt road alone for some stargazing.

There are two main reasons why Chaco Canyon National Historical Park only gets half a million visitors a year compared to 3 or 4 million for Yellowstone and Yosemite. We hope you make it to Chaco Canyon next time you both are out west. Something tells us you would have done a journey like this back in the day, for you are someone who likes an adventure as well. Because of the effort to get here many people choose to camp within the park and we suggest you do the same. Travel safely. After turning off Hwy 550 it is a 21 mile drive on rough county roads to get to the park entrance. Required fields are marked *.

Simply fill out the slip before setting out on your hike. Camping at Chaco Canyon.

Rangers guide you and your eyes on a galactic journey through the lens of each telescope, so allow up to two hours for the presentation and the hands-on telescope time.

We are both so happy to have the time to do it now. Take advantage of the ease and proximity of this trail when camping at Chaco Canyon. Notable Features: Pueblo Alto trail is possibly the most popular backcountry trail. Right now I’m limited to a three hour radius from Phoenix. We were out at Chaco in July 1989 & 1999. Just wow. Prices may vary depending on the time of year. You taught us something about the Jackson Staircase; that information was not in our backcountry guide, so thanks for that!

Get in touch with nature while tent camping in a huge platform tent, or enjoy a cabin in a group campsite.

No matter the name, this dirt road is most noteworthy for being both a direct route to the park entrance and lightly traveled compared to the east route mentioned above.

Chaco Culture National Historical Park sits at an elevation of 6,200 feet. Pets are also allowed at this location. Above all, stay alert and take it very slow. Pueblo Alto is situated at 6,440 feet in elevation. To the Navajo, all is beauty and we need to walk in beauty. Cabins rent for $40 per night with additional $5 per person charge for more than 2 people. The most difficult portion of the hike is the climb up onto the ridge (bench) but it is really not that tricky.

They are a short distance from the four corners. All you had to do was show up and pick out a spot that wasn’t already occupied.I think there was only one rest room at that time but it really wasn’t an issue. Your Drifters, Acclimitise yourself to this coming from lower elevations, especially sea level. How bad was the road in and which way did you enter.

You just have to stay a few days to let the peace of the place soak into you. Though it is called an RV Park there are options for cabin camping as well. Chaco Canyon has been certified as an International Dark Sky Park and we have information on experiencing a presentation highlighting this distinction. The complex has panoramic views of the surrounding landscape; this commanding presence was intentionally chosen to communicate with other great houses far away, also located on natural elevated features.

The civilization was a pre-Columbian society and was around from 800 to 1200 AD.

Angel Peak offers campers a beautiful view of the Kutz Canyon Badlands and Angel Peak. Chaco Canyon Camping Tips.

Fiona,

I don't even remember seeing a vending machine. looked to me like prehistoric campsites.

Chaco Wash fills quickly to a depth of 4 feet or more with slick mud on the bottom so use extreme caution when crossing. We hiked in after a brief shower of rain. Thanks for the video. Fiona, what a fascinating and informative post.

it takes at least an hour if you do it the slow way, which i recommend. After the third time it happened, we both got a lot more cautious where we played!

Wifflebird Ranch is secluded high country camping in open Ponderosa Pine Forest. Being connected isn’t all that important…… To retirees like us. If you are looking for privacy, it is non-existent at this campground.

You will love Ireland…it is only a 6 hour flight from the east coast. Your stories are really fun guys. All toilets are clean and well maintained, including the pit toilets. Each route, along with potential road conditions, is detailed below. A Couple of Drifters are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Programme - an affiliate advertising programme.

Your Drifters, Relax.

If you need any tips on Ireland, just give us a shout! Camping is the only lodging available in the park itself. Camp sites are $20 per site with additional $7 charge per person for more than 5 people. Continue 22 miles to the park entrance. Chaco is a definite must see.

Generator use is limited to an hour at a time, so solar capability is a definite plus.

The reality is the roads to Chaco Canyon pass through private land and it’s a contentious dispute yet to be hammered out in the form of a smooth paved road. In fact, the handholds (prior to the “steps”) were specifically designed so that if intruders tried to climb the wall, not knowing the exact order of which hand or foot to put there, would get to the top, not know how to proceed, and fall down. Damn job, Chaco is a wonderful place and well worth the time and effort to drive there.

Pause here for a moment to catch your breath, only to have it taken away again by the views of Pueblo Bonito and Chetro Ketl just ahead on the trail. Climbing up onto the ridge requires squeezing through a slotted canyon. Though the landscape was not the best to inhabit, the Chacoan civilization built irrigation systems, a communal village (pueblo), and roads that symbolized the ceremonial and cultural importance of the Chaco Community.

Enjoy those views knowing you’ll almost certainly have the Peñasco Blanco ruins to yourself – this section is the least utilized Chaco Canyon hiking trail. The site has or is nearby biking, hiking, off-roading and wildlife watching sites. All in all, we wouldn’t change a thing. I think part of the attraction to Chaco Canyon would be the fact it is so isolated and difficult to drive to and the peace and quiet once you arrive. Why these huge stone structures are in an area of the Colorado Plateau within 20 miles of the continental divide at over 6000 feet with less than ten … Are you planning a trip there? Until now I was unaware of it.

Did not make the Penasco Blanco Trail, but did manage the entire Pueblo Alto and South Mesa loops. The campsite is adjacent to a large tract of Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

You make it seem like you were there just the other day, along with us!

Depicted are a star, crescent moon and a human hand. Keep the pictures coming. This was very informative and gives you a feel for how remote the Chaco Canyon is . I’m sorry I never got back to you! In addition, pit toilets are located at each point of interest on the 9 mile loop drive through the park.

Without a reserved a spot online you will need exact cash for camping at Chaco Canyon – see update above. The elaborate culture necessary to support this highly organized and productive society in this marginal setting may never be completely known to us, but you can get a feeling for it as you look out over the valley and listen to the night wind.

His was not the type of job where customer service feedback would be welcome.

Visiting Chaco Canyon is an amazing experience which subtly lures visitors with it’s mystical ruins and peaceful solitude. The protected spots along the way, just above the South Gap. It has been about a quarter of a century. Seeing the amazing views and learning the history of the area is a must.

They laid out roads which were perfectly aligned for dozens and even hundreds of miles, going straight up and down cliff faces. These are everywhere. Thanks again Dave for reading and enjoying our posts. Rhonda Richway Phipps, look this over.

We made the hike out to Penasco Blanco and South Mesa and what stands out in my mind were those pesty gnatts that would constantly try to get in your ears and behind your glasses. Plumbed toilets are also available by the visitor centre. The east route is best approached from Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos and points east, while the south route is best approached from Gallup, Grants and points south of these cities as well as Farmington. Your Drifters,

Jerry was quite proud to have fixed the van…he learned from the best.

(I should have gotten it!) How to get there: There are two roads to Chaco Culture National Historical Park. There’s another road to the the park – it’s handy if you’re arriving from the Gallup/Grants area and, although it’s still rutted and gnarly, we think it’s in better condition than other one! Our second trip, following one looking at the main sites on the canyon floor 20 years ago, we targeted the less visited trail sites, that at 60+ years for the hikers, is a challenge. Come fully prepared to experience Chaco Canyon and you’ll be planning to return before you even leave the park. I know they are closed now, but we hope you have a visit in the future planned.

Trailhead Location: Access South Mesa trailhead from the Casa Rinconada interpretive trail.

I thought there was power and water in the RV area? Some choose to rattle along at 40 mph or so and get it over with as fast as possible; I prefer the deliberate approach, slowing down until the loose objects in my vehicle stop moving around so much. I anticipate your posts now, and hopefully we will see one another again , Brad, I hope to see you when I am back in the Shenango Valley.

Go and enjoy. Rates are in keeping with the level of amenities – $10 a night, $5 for Senior Pass holders.

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