Chaco Culture National Historical Park

Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves the ruins of 13 major great houses, called pueblos, and several thousand smaller sites that exemplify the development of the Chaco Anasazi A.D. 900-1150. The park can be reached from Gallup by taking Hwy 371 about 28 miles north to Navajo, then driving 15 miles northeast to Hwy 57. Approaching from the north via Hwy 44, the park is 26 miles south of Nageezi Trading Post. Because the park is accessible only over dirt roads that are rough and sometimes impassable in wet weather, towing trailers more than 30 feet long is not advised; check locally for conditions. The large pueblos, and numerous smaller village sites in the canyon attest to the settlement's sizable population, which was greater than that living in the in the area today. It is one of the most imposing ruins in the southwest. The visitors center is 1.5 miles from the south entrance. A museum displaying artifacts, pottery, and films are shown.