About Aztec Ruins
Aztec Ruins has some of the best-preserved Chacoan structures of its kind. Learn more about the ancestral Pueblo people in the park's museum and explore the Aztec West great house to see exceptionally advanced architecture, original wooden beams, and a restored Great Kiva. Aztec Ruins is a deeply sacred place to many Indigenous peoples across the American Southwest. Please visit with respect.
From the National Park Service.
- Region
- Southwest
- State
- New Mexico
- Designation
- National Monument
- Entrance fee
- None listed
- Trail data for this park is still being added.
- Places for this park are still being added.
Know before you go
Fees, hours, weather and getting to Aztec Ruins.
Entrance fees
The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for this park.
Hours
Hours
- Mon
- 7:00AM - 5:00PM
- Tue
- 7:00AM - 5:00PM
- Wed
- 7:00AM - 5:00PM
- Thu
- 7:00AM - 5:00PM
- Fri
- 7:00AM - 5:00PM
- Sat
- 7:00AM - 5:00PM
- Sun
- 7:00AM - 5:00PM
Aztec Ruins National Monument is open to the public from 7:00am-5:00pm, which includes the parking areas, archeological sites, picnic areas, and trails. The visitor center is open from 9:00am-5:00pm daily. The monument and visitor center close on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Days. Unless there is a public program scheduled, there is no after-hours access. Vehicles are not permitted to be left in the parking lot after closing.
Weather and when to go
Summer High temperatures range between 80°F and 99°F degrees with a few days over 100°F. Afternoon thunderstorms usually cool things down in late July and August. Fall Usually pleasant, with mild days and crisp nights. Winter Daytime temperatures range between 20°F and 50°F with cold nights that can reach 0°F. Snow is periodic, but accumulations are typically only 1-2 inches. Spring Weather is especially unpredictable: it can be windy, cold, and wet, or still, warm, and dry.
Getting there
From Albuquerque/Bloomfield, NM: Follow Hwy 550 north into Aztec, turn left onto Highway 516, drive 3/4 mile, then turn right onto Ruins Road. Follow Ruins Road 1/2 mile to the monument. From Durango, CO: Follow Hwy 550 south into Aztec, where it will become 516. Turn right onto Ruins Road. Follow Ruins Road 1/2 mile to the monument. From Farmington, NM Follow Highway 516 east into Aztec. 1/4 mile past Lightplant Road, turn left onto Ruins Road. Follow Ruins Road 1/2 mile to the monument.
Contact the park
- Address
- 725 Ruins Road, Aztec, NM 87410
- Phone
- (505) 334-6174
- Official site
- nps.gov/azru
From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.
Trip planner
A day-by-day plan for Aztec Ruins
Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.
The trails and places you save below go into your plan as must-sees.
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Things to do in Aztec Ruins
The park service's own list, with how long each takes.
-
Eat Lunch at Aztec Ruin's Picnic Area
Enjoy a picnic in the shade.
-
Aztec West Great House Loop
A half mile long loop following a mostly paved trail through the ancestral Pueblo Great House.
What to pack for Aztec Ruins
Gear & Essentials
Tell us about your trip and we will add what else you will want:
The basics
Worth having in the car whatever the park.
For this trip
Traveling with kids
Bringing a pet
RVing
Backcountry
Winter conditions
On the water
Photography
Accessibility
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