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Chaco Culture National Historical ParkTheme(s): Native American | |
Description:
Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves one of America's richest and most facinating cultural and historic areas.
Chaco Canyon was a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture between A.D. 850 and 1250. It was a hub of ceremony, trade, and government for the prehistoric Four Corners area - and a phenomenon unlike anything before or since.
Chaco is remarkable for its monumental and ceremonial buildings, and its distinctive architecture. To construct the buildings, along with the associated Chacoan roads, ramps, dams, and mounds, required a great deal of well organized and skillful planning, designing, resource gathering, and construction. The Chacoan people combined pre-planned architectural designs, astronomical alignments, geometry, landscaping, and engineering to create an ancient urban center of spectacular public architecture - one that still amazes and inspires us a thousand years later.
The Chacoan cultural sites are fragile and irreplaceable and represent a significant part of America's cultural heritage. The 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.
Designations:
Chaco Canyon National Monument (March 11, 1907)
Chaco Culture National Historic Park (December 19, 1980)
Accessibility:
An access guide is available at the Visitor Center. There is one accessible camp site and accessible restrooms in the campground and at the sites. Some trails are accessible with assistance.
Activites:
Biking | Camping | Educational Programs | Hiking | Nature Walks | And more.
Facilities:
Visitor_Centers | Picnic Areas | Comfort Stations | Museum Exhibits | And more.
Directions to Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Car:
Chaco Canyon is located in northwestern New Mexico. The preferred and recommended access route to the park is from the north via Hwy 44/550.
From the north, turn off Hwy 44/550 at County Road 7900--three miles southeast of Nageezi and approximately 50 miles west of Cuba (at mile 112.5). This route is clearly signed from Hwy 44/550 to the park boundary (21 miles). The route includes five miles of paved road (CR 7900) and 16 miles of dirt (CR 7950/7985).
Two roads access Chaco from the south. These roads can vary in condition from very rough to impassable. If you are traveling from the south, please call ahead for the latest conditions.
Both roads access the park from Highway 9, which runs between Crownpoint, Pueblo Pintado, and Cuba. Signs direct travelers to the park via Pueblo Pintado. At the community of Pueblo Pintado, turn north on Navajo 46 for 10 miles (rough dirt). Yurn left on County Road 7900 for 7 miles (rough dirt). Turn left on County Road 7950, and follow the signs for 16 miles (dirt) tot he park entrance.
Anoth access road (Highway 57) turns north from Highway 9 at the abandoned Seven Lakes Trading Post (21 miles of rough dirt).
Both the northern and southern routes include 16, 21, and 33 of dirt roads. Sections of these roads can become extremely rough or impassable during inclement weather. Call the park (505-786-7014) for current road conditions.
Public Transportation
There is no public transportation to the park.
Attractions:
Salmon Ruin Farmington New Mexico
Chimney Rock Archaeological Area - Colorado
Nearby Parks:
Aztec Ruins National Monument
Mesa Verde National Park
El Morro National Monument
Canyon De Chelly National Monument
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New Mexico Road Maps (NM Maps)
New Mexico Photos