Cutting through the windswept plateaus and mesas of northwestern New Mexico and the San Juan Basin, Chaco Canyon hides one of the greatest archaeological treasures on Earth.

Chaco Canyon has the densest concentration of pueblo dwellings and ceremonial structures of anywhere in the southwest. From 850 – 1250 A.D. Chaco was central to the lives of thousands of people from around the region. The massive buildings are testament to their engineering and organizational skills, as well as their in-depth understanding of astronomy, architecture, and agriculture.  Today, Chaco Canyon stands as a reminder of those who went before and of those who are still here.

This day starts early, around 7am, with your hotel pickup followed by a drive into northwestern New Mexico and across the Colorado Plateau. The drive is one of the most beautiful Then, we turn off the pavement and on to dirt roads for the last 21 miles into Chaco Canyon.  Once there, we’ll take a leisurely stroll through Una Vida ruins and hike up to the petroglyphs (optional) carved into the cliffs above. Then, it will be time for a picnic lunch served in the shade of a ramada.