Albuquerque, NM: Albuquerque Chapter, Chaco Hike

-Meet at Bernalillo Wal-Mart (map link: 460 Nm Highway 528) at 8:30am and consolidate vehicles, vehicles going should be fully fueled with good tires.
– Leave at 9am for Chaco Canyon.
– Arrive 11:30 at Chaco Culture National Historic Park visitor center; pay fees for cars (more info below).
– Lunch at Pueblo del Arroyo, the trailhead.
– 12:30 to 2:00 walk the Pueblo Bonito Overlook Trail (2+ miles), then tour Pueblo Bonito.
– 3pm back at visitor center; view Fajada Butte; leave around 4pm.
– 5:30pm dinner in Cuba if you like at the Del Prado restaurant.
– One hour drive back to Bernalillo Wal-Mart.
DESCRIPTION:
Visiting here in winter is awesome. This trip is an all day event and weather dependent. If there has been very recent snow then the road to Chaco becomes impassable to even 4×4 vehicles. If there has been a storm in the previous 2 or 3 days or one coming in we will have to cancel. Even in good conditions a portion of the road is a bit rough so good tires and a little ground clearance is good but a normal car can make it. There is a fee for each car that goes there. I have a national park pass (America the Beautiful Pass) and a 4×4 and can take three to four with me. The fee if you don’t have the national park pass is $25.00/vehicle. We can share the cost.

There are restrooms at the trailheads at Chaco. This hike will include a bit of an uphill and downhill at the beginning and end. Walking poles are very recommended as well as your best hikers and a day pack. Dress in layers as it will be cold but you can heat up pretty easily during the walk. There’ll be a good chance of some mud – as well as elk – on the walk. For those wanting only a flat hike there is that option going down the Penasco Blanco Trail or the Chetro Keti Trail for a mile or so and back – same trailhead luckily. Bring your lunch and snacks as well as water bottles. There is water and some snacks at the visitor center but this place is still quite remote. There is no cell service out there.