The American Southwest holds a treasure trove of ancient history, whispered on the wind and etched into the very landscape. Two national parks, Chaco Culture National Historical Park in New Mexico and Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, stand as powerful testaments to the ingenuity and resilience of the Ancestral Pueblo people. While both parks preserve remarkably well-preserved ruins of this civilization, they offer vastly different experiences to the modern-day visitor. This divergence stems from deliberate choices in preservation, accessibility, and interpretation, resulting in two distinct avenues for exploring the past.
A Tale of Two Parks: Chaco and Mesa Verde
Both Chaco and Mesa Verde are clusters of authentic ruins, offering visitors a glimpse into the lives of the Ancestral Puebloans. Some visitors find the differences between the two parks appealing, while others may prefer one over the other. Are you drawn to ruins that are difficult to reach, nestled away on dirt washboard roads, with self-provided food and only a campground for lodging? Does the sight of a rattlesnake slithering by thrill you? Do you enjoy the feeling of peering down into a grand kiva, imagining its long-ago religious ceremonies, with few to no other tourists in sight? If so, Chaco is the ideal destination.
Or perhaps you prefer a twilight tour of ancient cliff dwellings led by a guide dressed as an early archaeologist, followed by a gourmet dinner at your hotel restaurant? Would you enjoy a tram ride along a high mesa, chatting with fellow travelers from across the country, hopping off to see pit dwellings and dramatic overlooks? Mesa Verde is your ticket to this type of experience.
Ultimately, whether you prefer the rugged solitude of Chaco or the accessible grandeur of Mesa Verde, both parks offer a unique and rewarding journey into the past.
Twilight tour of ancient cliff dwellings
Here are more comparisons between Mesa Verde and Chaco:
The Settings: New Mexico Valley vs. Colorado Mesa
Chaco Culture National Historical Park, nestled in northwestern New Mexico, embodies a sense of pristine isolation. The park’s deliberate preservation includes maintaining a largely unpaved entrance road, which, while contributing to its remote feel, can become challenging, even impassable, after rainfall. The vast, high-desert valley that cradles the Chacoan sites lends a unique perspective. The ruins, spread across this flat expanse and encircled by cliffs, foster a sense of the interconnectedness of the ancient community.
Visitors can explore most of the ruins by walking along trails that branch off from a nine-mile loop road through the canyon. During the late summer months, the park offers a sense of solitude, with only a few small groups of tourists present at any given time.
The lack of surrounding towns and the absence of distracting lights make Chaco an ideal location for stargazing. The park offers ranger-led astronomy programs several times a week during the tourist season. The expansive night sky, filled with countless stars against the backdrop of ancient ruins, creates an unforgettable experience.
In contrast, Mesa Verde National Park, located in southwestern Colorado, boasts a dramatically different setting. Perched atop a mesa accessible by a winding mountain road that extends 15 miles from the park entrance, Mesa Verde offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The archaeological sites are nestled within canyons throughout the park. Wetherill Mesa, one of the park’s main areas, is a steep, 45-minute drive from the visitor’s center and lodge. Chapin Mesa, another significant area, is about 15 minutes in a different direction.
The Archaeological Sites: Great Houses vs. Cliff Dwellings
Chaco’s centerpiece is Pueblo Bonito, a monumental "great house" that stands as one of the most extensively excavated and studied sites in North America. Occupied from the mid-800s to the 1200s, Pueblo Bonito served as the center of the Chacoan world. This impressive structure, constructed of meticulously crafted masonry, once stood four stories high and contained more than 600 rooms and 40 kivas.
During its cultural zenith around 1050 A.D., Chaco likely functioned as the ceremonial, administrative, and economic hub for a vast network of communities connected by an extensive system of roads spanning 1,200 miles.
Visitors can explore the now-deserted rooms of Pueblo Bonito, stooping to enter doorways and marveling at the original wood-beam ceilings. The structures were often oriented to align with solar or lunar events and cardinal directions. Minimal restoration has been done, with only a few sections damaged by a rockfall having been shored up.
Free guided tours of Pueblo Bonito are available, and visitors can also explore the site independently using written guides. Pueblo Bonito is the only site at Chaco where guided tours are available.
Mesa Verde, on the other hand, is renowned for its remarkable cliff dwellings, built within alcoves set into the cliffs under natural overhangs. Exploring these sites requires physical exertion, as many involve strenuous climbs on canyon trails, up ladders, through tunnels, and down into below-ground kivas.
Mesa Verde’s classic period occurred between 1100 and 1300, later than Chaco’s. Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde’s largest and most iconic site, is also the largest cliff dwelling in North America. It contains approximately 150 rooms. Visitors can ascend five 8-10-foot ladders and descend into one of its kivas. The site was partially restored in the past to give visitors a sense of its original appearance.
Unlike Chaco, Mesa Verde rarely offers moments of solitude. To protect the sites and manage visitor flow, most of the sites can only be visited with a ranger on a timed tour, which costs $3 per site.
A separate timed ticket, also $3, is required for Wetherill Mesa’s main site, Long House, another spectacular cliff dwelling. Two features of Long House are particularly noteworthy: a perfectly preserved imprint of a tiny corn cob in the ground and a small red handprint on the wall.
At Wetherill Mesa, a tram provides access to earlier-period pit-house settlements and the starting point of the Long House walking tour. While the tram adds a touch of modern convenience, it helps to manage traffic along the small mesa roads. Another option for touring Cliff Palace on certain days is a 1.5-hour twilight tour, priced at $10 per person.
These twilight tours are limited to 20 people, providing a more intimate experience. They are conducted during cooler weather, which is a significant consideration during the hot summer months. The tour guides dress and act the part of Richard Wetherill, the amateur explorer who excavated and named Cliff Palace in 1888.
Tickets for most tours are sold at the Far View Visitors’ Center, but tickets for the twilight tour must be purchased at the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum and fill up quickly. Half-day guided bus tours are also available.
Accommodations: Campground vs. Comfy Bed
At Chaco, an overnight stay is recommended for those attending the astronomy program, as driving on the unpaved roads in the dark can be challenging. Campsites are located below cliffs and near ruins, with grills and bathrooms but no showers. Drinking water is only available at the visitor’s center.
Mesa Verde offers a wider range of accommodation options, including the Far View Lodge, located near the visitor’s center. The lodge features restaurants, a lounge, and gift shops. Rooms range in price, and some offer spectacular views.
The Far View Lodge provides a convenient base for exploring the park. In contrast, the full-service campground is located a considerable distance from the sights, 14 miles from Chapin Mesa.
Food: Camp Fare vs. Southwest Fusion
At Chaco, visitors must provide their own meals. The nearest groceries and gas are located at a convenience store 21 miles away on a mostly dirt road. A picnic shelter is located near the visitor’s center.
Mesa Verde offers several snack bars and a cafeteria at the visitor’s center. The lodge’s Metate Room Restaurant & La Mano Lounge serves excellent Southwest fusion meals at reasonable prices. The menu includes an extensive wine list and features buffalo prime rib as one of its specialties.
If You Go to Chaco Canyon and/or Mesa Verde
Both Chaco and Mesa Verde offer unparalleled opportunities to connect with the past. The choice between them depends on your preferred style of travel and your desired level of immersion. Whether you seek solitude and rugged adventure or accessible comfort and guided exploration, these two parks offer a profound and unforgettable journey into the world of the Ancestral Pueblo people.
More information
Chaco Culture National Historical Park: 505-786-7014; www.nps.gov/chcu
Mesa Verde National Park: 970-529-4465; www.nps.gov/meve
Getting there
Chaco is a 3.5-hour drive from Albuquerque, via U.S. 550 and County Roads 7900 and 7950. It’s three more hours to drive from there to Mesa Verde.
Mesa Verde also can be reached by daily flights into Cortez and Durango, Colo.
Chaco and Mesa Verde are truly incredible destinations.