Chaco Culture National Historical Park is an incredible place for kids to immerse themselves in New Mexico’s rich history, but traveling to the remote site requires preparation.
Places like Mesa Verde National Park may get much-deserved attention, but it’s Chaco Canyon that was the ceremonial, administrative, and economic heart of the San Juan Basin a thousand years ago.
Today, visitors can walk around the remains of several great houses, including the famed Pueblo Bonito.
My three kids loved walking through the canyon’s great houses and marveled at the soaring walls, ancient timber peeking through the stone. “This is the best hike ever!” one declared, only 15 minutes into our visit.
Know before you go
The canyon is in remote northwestern New Mexico, about three hours from Albuquerque. Be sure to check the weather and park website before setting off on your adventure.
The best way to access the park requires traversing a dirt road and crossing an arroyo that is impassible during or after rain. (Other routes to the park are even trickier to navigate.)
From Albuquerque, travel north on Interstate-25 to US 550 in Bernalillo. Continue about 100 miles to CR 7900. Then, follow signs to the park visitor center.
There are no restaurants or gas stations in the park, and the water fountains weren’t working when we visited. Weather in the canyon can also be extreme and unpredictable. Temperatures dip below freezing most winter nights and reach into the 90s on summer days. Ensure you have food, water, sunscreen, hats, and a full tank of gas.
The trails are not suitable for strollers, so I recommend bringing a hiking backpack or baby carrier for young children.
But if you come prepared, Chaco Canyon makes a breathtaking day trip that you and your kids will talk about for weeks to come.
Great houses, great history
Once inside the Chaco Culture National Historical Park boundaries, a 9-mile paved road connects five major sites in the canyon.
Pueblo Bonito is a must-see for all visitors. The great house was a major center of Puebloan culture and was built between 850 A.D. and 1150. It has been the focus of most of the investigation and excavation in the canyon.
Once, Pueblo Bonito’s more than 600 rooms towered four or five stories above the canyon floor, featuring dozens of circular, ceremonial kivas and rooms for administration, trading, storage, communications, astronomy, and more.
Today, a half-mile path winds through the remains of Pueblo Bonito, including several rooms. Crouching under doorways, gaping at the towering walls, and peering over the edge of the kivas allowed us to truly picture what life was once like in Chaco Canyon. We looked in awe at the remarkable construction, built more than half a millennium before the Mayflower.
Chaco is a sacred place to the descendants of the original inhabitants, including many of New Mexico’s pueblos. As we walked through the site, we talked about Chaco’s living history and how we treat sacred places. We reminded the kids that every step we take is on Native land.
Other than Pueblo Bonito, we explored Hungo Pavi, a largely unexcavated great house with over 150 rooms and a great kiva. The site was an excellent example of what the great houses looked like before excavation.
We also admired the Great Kiva at Casa Rinconada, the largest kiva in Chaco.
What to do in Chaco Canyon
In addition to exploring the canyon’s great houses, kids can complete a Junior Ranger activity booklet and earn wooden badges to commemorate their trip. Ask for a booklet at the Visitor Center.
My kids love the Junior Ranger program, offered at most National Park sites. Chaco’s activity book kept them engaged and curious during our visit, highlighting the canyon’s history, flora, and fauna.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park also hosts several events throughout the year, including solstice and equinox celebrations, night sky programs, dance performances, and guided tours.
Visiting the park requires a pass, $15 per person or $25 per car, or an annual public lands pass, like the America the Beautiful pass.
Respect the sacred site
Chaco Canyon is a sacred place.
To protect the site, encourage your children to keep their hands off the walls, throw away all trash, and leave all artifacts alone.
When we visited, we noticed two pottery shards sitting on one of trails. My kids were amazed to see the pieces, squatting down close to take a look while keeping their hands to themselves. They eagerly notified the park rangers about their find. The rangers thanked them and said they would move the shards farther from the trail to prohibit theft.
Protecting the heritage and living history of a breathtaking site like Chaco is all of our responsibility.
For more amazing New Mexico adventures, check out hiking Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks with kids or exploring Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument.
