Haw Creek
Outdoors > PlacesChaco Culture National Historic Park
 The park was
created as Chaco Canyon National Monument in 1949 on lands deeded from the
University of New Mexico. The richness of the cultural remains in the park
led to its expansion into the Chaco Culture National Historic Park in 1980
and the addition of 13,000 acres.
A multi-agency Chaco Culture Archaeological Protection Site program is
dedicated to protect Chacoan sites on adjacent Bureau of Land Management and
Navajo Nation lands. An architectural complex known as the Great House is
a cultural marker of the Chacoan period. While there are variations,
the Great Houses, share distinctive physical characteristics,
 including large
size, obvious planning, generally south-facing orientation, predominantly
multi-story, rooms organized into suites, and T-shaped doorways and stone
lintels. Great Houses at Chaco Canyon : Panasco Blanco; Casa Chiquita;
Nuevo or New Alto; Pueblo Alto; Kin Kletso; Pueblo del Arroyo; Pueblo
Bonito; Chetro Ketl; Tsin Kletzin; Hungo Pavi; Kin Nahasbas; Una Vida;
Wijiji The Chaco Collection The Chaco
Collection contains approximately one million artifacts from over 120 sites
in Chaco Canyon and the surrounding region. Because most of the artifacts
were systematically collected and documented, the collections are extremely
valuable for scientific studies.
 The Archive documents
over 100 years of excavation in Chaco Canyon, and contains approximately 300
linear feet of records, 30,000 photographs, 7,000 color slides, 600 glass
lantern slides, 2,000 maps, 1,000 manuscripts, and field notes, reports, and
other written records.
Sacred Place
 Fajada
Butte, a prominent landscape feature of the Chaco region, is and a sacred
place for the Pueblo, Hopi, and Navajo peoples, figuring prominently in the
people's oral histories, migration stories, and ongoing traditions. Atop the
butte, the Sundagger site, atop the butte, is one of many that commemorates
the passage of the sun in the Chacoan world.
The Sundagger structure, an ancient solar and lunar observatory,
is not elaborate. It is constructed of three large stone slabs wedged
upright with smaller stones. On the day of the summer solstice, a dagger of
light cast by the rising sun bisects a spiral carved into the rock behind
the stones. On the winter solstice, two daggers of light frame the spiral.
(Fajada Butte is not open to the public. All
back country travel requires a permit.) The Park
Remote and isolated, the park offers few
amenities, so come prepared.
Gallo Campground, located one mile east of the
Visitor Center, is open year-round. Tucked amongst the fallen boulders and
cliffs of Gallo Wash, the campground offers camping in a rugged environment,
surrounded by petroglyphs, a cliff dwelling, inscriptions, and a high desert
landscape. There is no shade. The 48 campsites are available on a
first-come, first-served basis. Camping is limited to 7 days. Trailers and
RVs over 30 feet in length can not be accommodated. There are no showers or
hook-ups. Drinking water is available 24 hours a day in the Visitor Center
parking area, where telephones are located as well. There is no gasoline,
auto repair, food, or ice available in the park.
A 9 mile paved loop road accesses 5 major sites,
with self-guiding trails at each site. Four
backcountry hiking trails access more remote sites and features. Free
permits are available at the visitor center and at all trailheads.
Links:
National Park Service
World Heritage Page
Museum
Collections of the Park
NASA Archeology
The Solstice Project
— Lunar Markings on Fajada Butte, Chaco Canyon, New Mexico
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