Chaco Culture National Historical Park
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courtesy of the National Park Service |
Contact Information:
PO Box 220
Nageezi, NM 87037
505-786-7014
http://www.nps.gov/chcu/
Size: 33,960 acres
Location: In northwestern New Mexico. The recommended access route to the park is from the north via Hwy. 44/550. Turn off Hwy. 44/550 at CR 7900 (3 miles southeast of Nageezi) and go 21 miles to the park boundary (5 miles of paved road on CR 7900 and 16 miles of dirt road on CR 7950/7985).
Description: The canyon contains 13 major prehistoric sites and hundreds of smaller ones, built by the Ancestral Puebloan People during the 9th through 12th centuries.
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courtesy of the National Park Service |
Four backcountry hiking trails access more remote sites and features. Free permits are available at the visitor center. All sites and trails are open from sunrise to sunset. Biking the 9-mile paved loop through the canyon is a great way to see the sites and experience the canyon. The Wijiji, Casa Chiquita, and Kin Klizhin trails may also be biked. Inquire at visitor center for free permits and directions. From May to October, tours, hikes, and evening programs are offered. From April to October, the Chaco Night Sky Program presents astronomy programs, solar viewing, and telescope viewing of the spectacular dark night sky. Check the schedule at the visitor center.
Operating Hours:
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 trails and
campground will remain open.
History: Proclaimed Chaco Canyon National Monument on March 11, 1907; redesignated and renamed on December 19, 1980. Designated a World Heritage Site on December 8, 1987.
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Historical Parks
See other New Mexico National Parks
