This only makes it more important that federal lands in the region be protected for their cultural values, not opened to even more drilling. Gas flares light up the dark night skies, and pollution from flares and leaking infrastructure endanger the health of the Native American communities who have lived in the area for centuries. Rampant methane waste, particularly in the San Juan Basin, has created a 2,square-mile methane cloud — the size of the state of Delaware — over the Four Corners region and national parks including Chaco.
All of the drilling pushed forward by this administration has taken place without meaningful consultation with the local tribal communities.
Fighting back, a historic coalition of the Pueblo and Navajo peoples in the region have come together to protect the landscape. Along with the entire New Mexico congressional delegation, they are advancing legislation to permanently protect the area surrounding the park from new oil and gas development. Take Action Protect Chaco Culture from oil and gas drilling! Make a tax-deductible gift today to provide a brighter future for our national parks and the millions of Americans who enjoy them.
Skip to navigation Skip to main content Skip to footer. Act Now. The campground has potable water, flush toilets, a kitchen wash area, but no showers. There are two group campsites. With no pull-through spaces, recreation vehicles are size-limited. More details are on the reservation website. There are private campgrounds on Indian Route 9, about an hour south of the park and several options one- to two hours north of the park near Bloomfield.
The nearest motels are in Bloomfield, about 90 minutes north on U. Eric Jay Toll is a travel writer and park explorer living in Phoenix, Arizona.
He and his chocolate lab, Chaco, wander the parks, monuments and public lands of the American Southwest. He has been a visitor to Chaco Culture on eight previous visits. I have visited Chaco many times and one of the highlights of each trip has been spending some time listening to the knowledge of a legendary Chaco ranger named G. If he has, I hope he is doing well. The legendary G. Cornucopia is still at the park. He's talked about retiring, but hasn't taken any action to do so. He still leads the observatory, which was recently remodeled.
On my first trip to Chaco in the s, G. He was still seasonal at that time and teaching high school in the Northwest. I've interviewed him once, and been to several of his archeoastronomy talks at the observatory at night. I visited several years ago for the eclipse. I had no idea how this place still affects me. I hope to return. It really does get into your soul. This was my tenth trip since the mids.
I learn something new every trip. You should try to schedule a trip when there is no moon or close to no moon on a weekend to see stars from the observatory. Skip to main content. Climate change and the parks. National Park Travel. Search Enter your keywords. You must enable JavaScript to view the search results. Chaco Culture National Historical Park.
Exploring the Parks Travel. Add new comment. Comments Submitted by Mom on July 11, - am. Fantastic story. So Sorry I am now too old to make that trip. Submitted by Eileen See on July 11, - pm. Awesome article! They may instead have been impressive examples of "public architecture" that were used periodically during times of ceremony, commerce, and trading when temporary populations came to the canyon for these events. What was at the heart of this great social experiment?
Pueblo descendants say that Chaco was a special gathering place where many peoples and clans converged to share their ceremonies, traditions, and knowledge. Chaco is central to the origins of several Navajo clans and ceremonies. Chaco is also an enduring enigma for researchers.
Was Chaco the hub of a turquoise-trading network established to acquire macaws, copper bells, shells, and other commodities from distant lands?
Did Chaco distribute food and resources to growing populations when the climate failed them? Was Chaco "the center place," binding a region together by a shared vision?
We may never fully understand Chaco. In the s and s, change came to Chaco as new construction slowed and Chaco's role as a regional center shifted.
Chaco's influence continued at Aztec, Mesa Verde, the Chuska Mountains, and other centers to the north, south, and west. In time, the people shifted away from Chacoan ways, migrated to new areas, reorganized their world, and eventually interacted with foreign cultures.
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