Skip to content
The Green Adventures
Find my parkMapGreat Smoky MountainsZionYellowstoneSee all: ParksCaliforniaAlaskaUtahSee all: By stateNational monumentsSeashores and lakeshoresAll 412 Park Service sitesSee all: All sitesWhich park should I visit?Pass calculatorCampground finderSee all: Trip toolsAnnual pass 2026International visitorsFree days 2026See all: Fees and passes

National Historical Park · New Mexico

Chaco Culture National Historical Park

National Historical Park in New Mexico. $25 per vehicle.

By The Green Adventures · Updated · How we check

TypeNational Historical Park
StateNew Mexico
Entrance fee$25 per vehicle
Campgrounds1
Nearest national parkMesa Verde (84 mi)
Closest airportGUP (59 mi)
Colorful sandstone walls with two open sections in the middle that look like doorways.
Most walls seen at Chaco Culture NHP are close to 1,000 years old. Photo: NPS

Chaco Culture National Historical Park is a national historical park run by the National Park Service in New Mexico.

In the park service’s words

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.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: $25 per vehicle. The America the Beautiful pass covers it.

Hours: Daily, 7:00AM - 9:00PM. 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.

Camping

Campground Sites Booking From RVs Amenities
[Gallo Campground]() 24 Both $20 Yes, up to 42 ft water

Getting there

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.

Airport City Drive to the park Straight-line miles Type
Gallup Municipal Airport (GUP) Gallup, NM No road route 59 Regional
Durango La Plata County Airport (DRO) Durango, CO No road route 78 Regional
Cortez Municipal Airport (CEZ) Cortez, CO No road route 95 Regional
Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) Albuquerque, NM No road route 103 Large hub

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

Weather

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.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Mesa Verde, about 84 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

Last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there an entrance fee at Chaco Culture National Historical Park?

$25 per vehicle.

Where is Chaco Culture National Historical Park?

In New Mexico. The closest airport with scheduled flights is Gallup Municipal Airport, about 59 miles away.

Can you camp at Chaco Culture National Historical Park?

Yes, at 1 campground the park service lists.

More sites nearby

The first memorial erected to honor Abraham Lincoln Historical parksAbraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park National Historical Park in Kentucky. No entrance fee. 4 hikes listed. The Birthplaces of Presidents John Adams (right) and John Quincy Adams (left) Historical parksAdams National Historical Park National Historical Park in Massachusetts. $15 per person. A brick two story home with white pillars and railings. Historical parksAppomattox Court House National Historical Park National Historical Park in Virginia. No entrance fee. 1 hikes listed. Reconstructed stone kiva amidst stone ruins National monumentsAztec Ruins National Monument National Monument in New Mexico. No entrance fee. the village of Tyuonyi National monumentsBandelier National Monument National Monument in New Mexico. $25 per vehicle. 14 hikes listed. Slater Mill, Wilkinson Mill and Brown House at Blackstone River Valley NHP Historical parksBlackstone River Valley National Historical Park National Historical Park in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. No entrance fee. 2 hikes listed.