National Historical Park

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Southwest

About Chaco Culture

Explore the monumental structures and breathtaking landscape at Chaco, a thriving regional center for the ancestral Pueblo people from 850 to 1250 CE (Common Era), through hiking & biking trails, ranger guided tours & programs, and more. Chaco Canyon is a sacred and deeply personal place for many Indigenous peoples throughout the Southwest. Please visit with respect.

From the National Park Service.

Region: Southwest
State: New Mexico
Designation: National Historical Park
Entrance fee: $25, private vehicle

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 Chaco Culture.

Entrance fees

$25 Private Vehicle This fee allows all persons traveling in one private, non-commercial vehicle (car/truck/van) to enter the park to visit for up to 7 days from the date of purchase.
$15 Per Person
$20 Motorcycle
$25 Non-commercial Groups
Free Education/Academic Groups

Hours

Mon: 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Tue: 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Wed: 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Thu: 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Fri: 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Sat: 7:00AM - 9:00PM
Sun: 7:00AM - 9:00PM

All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7am until 9:00pm from May 1-October 31. The visitor center is open from 9:00am-5:00pm daily. At 8:30 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.

Weather and when to go

Summer highs are typically in the 80s to mid-90s. Thunderstorms can produce heavy localized downpours and sudden dramatic drops in temperatures. Winter temperatures will drop to well below freezing most nights. If you plan to camp in the winter, prepare for nighttime temperatures in the teens or lower. Spring and fall are great times to visit with more moderate temperatures, but unexpected storms can change things dramatically. Monitor local weather forecasts.

Getting there

Your journey into Chaco Canyon will take you through private tribal lands. Please be respectful of our tribal neighbors and their livestock and leave no trace of your journey on their lands. Chaco Canyon is located in northwestern New Mexico. The park can only be accessed by driving on dirt roads. Road conditions can be rough or impassable. Please call in advance for updates.

Directions from the National Park Service

Contact the park

Address: 1808 CR 7950, Nageezi, NM 87037
Phone: (505) 786-7014
Email: chcu_information@nps.gov
Official site: nps.gov/chcu

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 Chaco Culture

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.

Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.

Campgrounds in Chaco Culture

Run by the park service. Reservable sites book on Recreation.gov; first-come sites do not.

Gallo Campground

20 reservable sites · 4 first-come sites

Gallo Campground, located one mile (1.6 km) east of the visitor center, is open year-round. The campground has 24 individual sites and 2 group sites. We recomm…

Reserve on Recreation.gov