Copyright © 2001 - 2018  All Photos, text, materials on this site are copyrighted to Rocky Mountain Profiles for the exclusive use of Rocky Mountain Profiles and  Michael J. Sinnwell.  

Chaco Canyon Cultural Ruins New Mexico - Ghost town

Photos courtesy of Mike Sinnwell August 2008

WOW !!! Best yet Native American site I have seen. I am sure there are people that can write a flowery description of this place that captures the importance and spectacular accomplishments of the Native Americans that built this site. Unfortunately, as you can tell, I am not one of them. I hope the pictures help you.

If you go, plan on spending plenty of times. At least ten separate sites, plenty of hiking trails, a graveyard, petroglyphs, kivas, plazas etc. Look close and you may find petrified wood or perhaps a fossilized sea shell. Truly a Native American Cultural center occupied from about 850 thru 1200 AD. Sound has a way of traveling in strange ways out here. Some of the buildings seem to reflect even voices for miles and in some cases it appears by standing in the right place at one site you can speak to a person at a distant site. So much to see that I can't even think of the right words to use. Maybe the pictures will help.

I could spend weeks in this remote area. When I say remote I mean no place to eat, get gas, spend the night (except camping) within MILES of the place. Make sure you bring you own supplies. Rough dirt road and washes to go through to get there. That is why I loved it. Plenty to see and not many people.