Digbydog

We will be in Santa Fe in mid-June. We would like to travel from Santa Fe to Chaco Canyon, explore the ruins a little, and then drive to Mesa Verde to spend the night at Far View Lodge. Is this trip doable in a day? I am having trouble finding Chaco Canyon on Mapquest.

Also, will Chaco Canyon be unbearably hot in mid-June?

emalloy

If you were to go from Santa Fe down to Bernalilo (to pick up 550) then up to Mesa Verde without going in to Chaco, it would take almost 6 hours. The ride in to Chaco from Nageezi (where the road into Chaco begins) takes about 45 minutes and is mostly not paved. That would add and hour and a half to the trip in and out. If you add a couple of hours to do a quick look around Chaco that makes for a very long day. So if you start at day break, I guess you could do it, but It would be very rushed.

To find Chaco, put in Nageezi then go west.

Digbydog

emalloy--thanks so much for your response. Is Chaco Canyon worth a visit? How long would you want to spend there?

tovarich

I would do it in at least two days.Chaco canyon is worth the visit but the road is awful.Take the ranger tour there.Stay in Durango and visit Mesa verde the second day.Paul

qwovadis

www.mapquest.com directions distances

not doable and fun in a day

Bandalier National Monument best out of Santa Fe

much of the same Anasazi history/vibe

Mesa Verde neat for an overnite or more amazing...

pass on Chaco unless more time

emalloy

Chaco is worth a visit, but as others have said you really need more time.

ggreen

You might be interested in some of the information emalloy and others provided on this thread yesterday:
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...ice-please.cfm

Digbydog

Thanks everyone for your responses. How much time should we give Chaco Canyon?

Digbydog

Just read the thread ggreen provided, and it sounded like those posters thought it was reasonable to drive from Mesa Verde to Chaco Canyon to ABQ.

I am figuring that we could leave Santa Fe by 8 am, arrive at Chaco Canyon at 11:30, spend 2 hours at Chaco, and then drive to MV, arriving by 4:30 pm. Does that sound right? It would be a long day, but doesn't sound outrageous to me. Am I missing something?

emalloy

In mid June you should be ok since days are longer.

Do you have your lodging at MV? Should get it very soon if not.

Do pack a lunch and drinks for Chaco.

DebitNM

It will take and hour and a half just to drive into and out of Chaco from SR 550. You will want at leat 90 minutes in Chaco, I think.
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Depending on where you are in Santa Fe, you can make it to Bernalillo [via I25] in about an hour. Exit 242 off I25 and head west on SR 550. From Bernalillo, it is about 2 hours to the turn off for Chaco.

Once you get back on 550, continue heading west on 550 towards Durango. In Durango, you will then get on SR 160 west to Mesa Verde. From the turnoff, it will take you 40 minutes or so to Farview Lodge.

As emalloy said, there are no services in Chaco and limited services along the way, save a few convenience stores attached to gas stations. You can get food in Cuba, which is about 30 minutes east of Chaco. There's subway, mcdonald's and about it.

It could be pretty hot at Chaco in June, there is NO shade. Bring lots of water, two or three times more than you think you will need.

Hope this helps.

Michael

Google maps locates Chaco Canyon with no problem.

emalloy

If there is rain, avoid the road to Chaco. The unpaved part could get greasy and there are dips that could wash out.

spirobulldog

I would stay @ Far View Lodge while visiting Mesa Verde, not Durango. If you are really into this sort of thing, you really need more than one day to do Mesa Verde. Your second day could be spent at the wetherill section. Take as many ranger-led tours as possible and see as many different ruins as possible. Consider hiking the petrglyph trail. THe food at Far View was very good.

Digbydog

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. Your replies have been extremely helpful.

Spirobulldog--We have been to Mesa Verde twice before but wanted to return, because our 13 year old doesn't remember it. We love staying at Far View--great views and wonderful starry nights. Being in the park makes it much easier to get early morning tickets for the Ranger-led tours.

We have never visited Wetherill, however. Is it worth the drive? How different is it from the Chapin Mesa area? We like to hike. Where is the Petroglyph Trail?

emalloy

Petroglyph trail is accessed through the entrance path to Spruce tree house. It was a bit strenuous for DH and me as we are from elevation 0 and in the geezer age group. It took us about 3 hours. The views were nice but if you have seen petroglyphs in other places, the ones there were not too impressive. There were neat grooves where the builders sharpened their tools however.

Bring plenty of water.

We've never been to MV late enough in the year for it to be open. It looks neat though.

DebitNM

Wetherill Mesa is absolutely worth the extra drive; only 10% of visitors ever even go out there! There are several different types of structures there besides cliff dwellings.

The biggest difference is in visiting Long House, you actually get to go INTO the cliff dwelling and stand inside and look out and see the same views as the Ancestral Puebloans!!

These were taken on the Petroglyph Trail:
http://picasaweb.google.com/DebitNM/MesaVerdeMay2009

The trail is done from Spruce Tree House path, it brances off. The Knife Edge Trail is also nice [but not nearly as good as Petroglyph] it is accessed from Morefield Campgrounds.

I am sure you have looked at these but just in case:

http://www.nps.gov/meve/index.htm

http://www.nps.gov/chcu/index.htm

peterboy

A visit to Mesa Verde and Chaco canyon on the same trip makes a lot of sense. Mesa Verde is the defensive remains of a civilization that reaches its peak at Chaco canyon a few hundred years earlier. Mesa Verde is a coarse affair compared to the fine craftmanship displayed at Chaco. I'd suggest spending the night at Chaco to get 2 days but that requires camping which eliminates many visitors...probably a good thing. At least take the ranger tour...I'm sure they get lonely there and enjoy the company.

I'd also suggest learning a bit about the two places beforehand so that you can better appreciate what you'll be seeing since it will astound you. Here's a great website on Chaco...poke around a bit, it has lots to see and read.

http://www.exploratorium.edu/chaco/

I'd also suggest reading 'House of Rain' by Craig Childs...an entertaining but very enlightening story of one man's journey discovering the area. Also 'Anasazi America' by David Stuart for a digestible yet scholarly description of the evolution of Chacoan Culture.

Have a great trip...I'm jealous...I'll get back there someday!

Here's a link to pictures from our last trip in 2005:

http://www.pbase.com/peterb/co_and_nm_05&page=3

Michael

It's a 3+ hour drive between Chaco Canyon and Mesa Verde. I doubt that it is doable in one day.

DebitNM

Actually, it is about 2 hour drive from Chaco to Mesa Verde.