Chaco Culture National Historical Park

ancient pueblos · archaeology · New Mexico · Native American history

Massive Ancient City. Chaco was the center of a huge Native American civilization that flourished around 1,000 years ago, with large pueblos and thousands of rooms carved into the desert landscape of northwestern New Mexico.

Network of Roads. The Chaco people built an intricate system of straight roads connecting their settlements across the desert, some running for miles and suggesting they had impressive engineering knowledge and community planning.

Sky Watchers. Evidence suggests the Chaco people were skilled astronomers who built buildings and structures aligned with the sun, moon, and stars to track seasons and celestial events.

Built to Last. The ancient builders used carefully cut stone blocks and sophisticated construction techniques that allowed their pueblos to survive for over 900 years in the harsh desert climate.

Farming in the Desert. The Ancestral Puebloans who lived at Chaco developed clever ways to farm in the arid landscape, including building dams and irrigation systems to capture precious water from rare rainfall.