Chaco Culture (Day 2)

Yesterday I made it to the Chaco Culture Historic Park. Today, I leave the park and continue the last leg of my journey home.

The following are pictures from the campsite and surrounding area including a short hike up the Sunset Trail which, as the name suggests, should really be done at sunset instead of sunrise:

(click to view)

The last pictures in the series above show a bit of what the road is like leading out of the historic park to Highway 550.

I really would have liked to have spent more time at this park but I was only passing through and barely scratched the surface. Besides the hiking and many trails found here there are also many ancient dwellings worth checking out:

• Pueblo Bonito
• Una Vida
• Penasco Blanco
• Hungo Pavi
• Chetro Keti
• Pueblo Alto

Check out the Park Photo Gallery to see more of what I mean. This is definitely a great place to visit for those looking for a back-country adventure.

Tags: Chaco Culture National Historic Park

Chaco Culture (Day 1)

I left Phoenix, Arizona around 8am and made it to the Chaco Culture Historic Park in New Mexico by 6pm. The park was full when I arrived as it is first come, first serve. Luckily, since I was on a motorcycle, they allowed me to stay the night since I have such a small footprint. I’m glad they did because I wasn’t looking forward to backtracking the 20+ miles of dirt road I had taken to get into the park or the other 30+ miles of dirt road it would take to get out of the park in the opposite direction. Speaking of dirt road, if you enter the park from the South on Highway 371, as I did, I would warn that this is the toughest road to travel. You are basically traveling through ranch land, cattle grates, and choppy roads with some rough rock. In speaking with the Park Ranger, I learned that some people actually end up with popped tires as the rock is so sharp.

The following pictures (except the first one) were taken during sunset after I had eaten and set up camp for the night:

(click to view)

The sky was very clear during the night. I spent 30+ minutes just gazing at crystal clear stars before going to bed.

Tags: Chaco Culture National Historic Park