Your journey into Chaco Canyon will take you through private tribal lands. Please be respectful of our tribal neighbors and their livestock and leave no trace of your journey on their lands.
Chaco Canyon is located in northwestern New Mexico. The park can only be accessed by driving on dirt roads.
Road conditions can be rough or impassable. Please call in advance for updates.
All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7:00am until 7:00pm from Mar 1-Apr 30. At 7:00 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.
Standard Hours
Every Day:7:00 AM–9:00 PM
All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7am until 9:00pm from May 1-October 31. The visitor center is open from 9:00am-5:00pm daily. At 8:30 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Spring Operating Hours
March 1–April 30
Every Day:7:00 AM–7:00 PM
All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7:00am until 7:00pm from Mar 1-Apr 30. At 7:00 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.
Winter Operating Hours
November 1–February 28
Every Day:7:00 AM–5:00 PM
All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7:00am until 5:00pm from Nov 1-Feb 28. At 5:00 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.
Holidays
2025–2026
New Year's Day
January 1, 2026
Closed
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 19, 2026
7:00 AM–5:00 PM
Washington's Birthday
February 16, 2026
7:00 AM–5:00 PM
Veterans Day
November 11, 2025
7:00 AM–5:00 PM
Thanksgiving Day
November 27, 2025
Closed
Christmas Day
December 25, 2025
Closed
Holiday
Date
Hours
Summer highs are typically in the 80s to mid-90s. Thunderstorms can produce heavy localized downpours and sudden dramatic drops in temperatures.
Winter temperatures will drop to well below freezing most nights. If you plan to camp in the winter, prepare for nighttime temperatures in the teens or lower.
Spring and fall are great times to visit with more moderate temperatures, but unexpected storms can change things dramatically. Monitor local weather forecasts.
This is Chaco Culture's only visitor center. The hours of operation are 9:00am-5:00pm every day. Please stop in before heading into the park. The visitor center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Every Day:9:00 AM–5:00 PM
The visitor center and park are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. The visitor center has a gift shop and orientation film.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Holidays
2025–2026
New Year's Day
January 1, 2026
Closed
Thanksgiving Day
November 27, 2025
Closed
Christmas Day
December 25, 2025
Closed
Holiday
Date
Hours
Public WiFi is not available.
There is limited cell service inside the Visitor Center. Does not work with all carriers and not strong enough to use the internet.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park preserves a major center of ancestral Puebloan culture dating between 850 and 1250 CE. Chaco is a very special place. Remote and isolated, it offers few amenities. Come prepared. You will find the rewards unlimited. Check out the navigation links for more information on when we are open, how to get here, and what to do.
All visitors must have an entrance pass. You can buy your entrance pass online. An entrance pass for a private vehicle is $25. The Chaco Culture National Historical Park entrance pass is valid for 7 days. The entry pass expires after 7 days and is not transferrable.
All Park Hours
Current Hours (Spring Operating Hours)
March 1–April 30
Every Day:7:00 AM–7:00 PM
All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7:00am until 7:00pm from Mar 1-Apr 30. At 7:00 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.
Standard Hours
Every Day:7:00 AM–9:00 PM
All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7am until 9:00pm from May 1-October 31. The visitor center is open from 9:00am-5:00pm daily. At 8:30 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.
Closures & Seasonal Exceptions
Spring Operating Hours
March 1–April 30
Every Day:7:00 AM–7:00 PM
All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7:00am until 7:00pm from Mar 1-Apr 30. At 7:00 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.
Winter Operating Hours
November 1–February 28
Every Day:7:00 AM–5:00 PM
All hiking trails and archaeological sites are open from 7:00am until 5:00pm from Nov 1-Feb 28. At 5:00 PM, you must be leaving or if you are camping, you need to be back in the campground.
