Fajada Butte's silhoutte shown under a timelapse image of stars appearing in a vibrant circle above.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park is an International Dark Sky Park. B Davis

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

National Historic Site · New Mexico · National Park Service

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.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Hiking

Camping

Camping

Site types & reservations: see the official site.

Know before you go

Phone
5057867014
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: Archeology · Ruins · Night Sky

Activities & features: Astronomy · Guided Tours · Junior Ranger Program

Photos

  • The entrance sign to Chaco Culture made out of sandstone and showing Fajada Butte through a window.
    M Murphy
  • Colorful sandstone walls with two open sections in the middle that look like doorways.
    NPS
  • A raven perched on the side of a canyon wall.
    M Murphy
  • An aerial view of the Pueblo Bonito great house showing many rooms and circular kivas.
    Andrew Kearns
  • A series of 4 Chacoan jars replicated in the same black on white style that was excavated long ago.
    NPS.

Nearby parks

Parks of New Mexico

Sumner Lake State ParkCaballo Lake State ParkWhite Sands National ParkRockhound State ParkEl Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic TrailBrantley Lake State ParkEl Malpais National MonumentNavajo Lake State ParkStorrie Lake State ParkAztec Ruins National MonumentPancho Villa State ParkElephant Butte Lake State ParkFort Union National MonumentManhattan Project National Historical ParkCity of Rocks State ParkOliver Lee Memorial State ParkBluewater Lake State ParkValles Caldera National PreserveBandelier National MonumentUte Lake State ParkBottomless Lakes State ParkClayton Lake State Park & Dinosaur TrackwaysCapulin Volcano National MonumentPetroglyph National MonumentSanta Rosa Lake State ParkPecos National Historical ParkSalinas Pueblo Missions National MonumentMorphy Lake State ParkEl Vado Lake State ParkCarlsbad Caverns National ParkVillanueva State ParkPercha Dam State ParkCimarron Canyon State ParkConchas Lake State ParkEl Morro National MonumentManzano Mountains State ParkOasis State ParkFenton Lake State ParkPecos Canyon State ParkLeasburg Dam State ParkSugarite Canyon State ParkCoyote Creek State ParkHeron Lake State ParkHyde Memorial State ParkGila Cliff Dwellings National MonumentEagle Nest Lake State ParkCerrillos Hills State Park

48 parks mapped in New Mexico

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Guides for the trip

All guides →

Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12