There are good reasons not to drive, well actually only one. The road really is or can be horrendous.
The reasons to go are early AM hiking, the Night Sky Program, late evening hiking and photography if you like that sort of thing. I spent 10 days there, it really is beautiful.
Turbo Dog Jupitor met Mr. Porcupine in a 4AM moon light walk. He received a face full of quills and showed his mettle when I pulled them out.
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I'm a true bum, working less and living longer.
I went in thought I would report in since I started this thread. Sorry to be so late.
We towed into Chaco Canyon im mid-May. I called ahead to the visitor's center and learned that the road had recently graded. It still consisted of 16.5 miles of washboard dirt. The round trip popped five interior rivets, but I have been on Interstate that popped rivets before. That's why I carry a rivet gun with me.
I took Mojo's advice and taped all drawers and hatches. I also lowered the table as I had it drop once on I-20 in N. Louisiana. Everything was a mess inside but nothing spilled out.
The campground there is great. It has flush toilets and a dump station but no other facilities. Water can be found at a fountain at the visitor center.
Personally, I could not see all I would want to see from a day trip in-and -out. And the thought of that washboard road on multiple days isn't very appealing. At the camp you get a real feel for the canyon. Much more than you could possibly get from just driving in and out in a day. And you have the luxury of time to explore and study all that is there.
The Chaco culture pre-dates that at Mesa Verde. Not much is known for sure about the culture so it leaves plenty of room to speculate from an ameture archiological perspective. I enjoyed the canyon more than Mesa Verde as it was much less crowded. And, I might add that I was at Mesa Verde in April '07 befor the crowds arrived for the summer months.
I highly recommend this trip. If you take it easy and prepare your trailer for the bad road I can be done. Your reward will be well worth the trouble encountered.
Canyonlands also has another unit, Horse Canyon, which is near Goblin Valley State Park, south of Green River. Horse Canyon is the home of the famous Grand Gallery and its ghost images.
Goblin Valley is a great visit as well, and the cg is a good base for exploration of both.
It's been nearly 20 years since I was at Horse Canyon, but I believe it is only accessible by dirt road. You can leave the trailer at Goblin Valley (nice campground there, but no trees), or Green River.
Amen on the dirt road. I think it is better than the one at Chaco, though.
For Chaco, we camped at Rio Rancho and daytripped to Chaco. The 15-20 miles into the park were so rough and dusty, I was glad I did not bring the trailer. But once we were there and saw the campground - and imagined how bright the stars would be if we had camped - I think we will bring the trailer next time, hell or high water.
You can always clean the trailer but you sure can't see the sights without being there.
Take the route CR7950 from Highway 550 just southeast of Nageezi, NM for the better option getting to Chaco Canyon. The route coming from Seven Lakes, NM to the south has some rock outcrops in the road you need to be aware. Both routes are not the worst roads I have experienced, but the wash board is a good conversation item when you find the "sparse" camp ground facilities at Chaco. I understand there are rockdocking pullouts on the southern route into Chaco, but there are NO facilities. The Chaco rangers also are watching for artifact poachers coming from the south and see any vehicle parked outside the park as suspect "poachers". At night the headlights are seen many miles away and it will get a number of binocular assisted rangers watching your progress and a potential "visit".
More important than the wash board road, artifact poachers and a DUST TRAIL following your progress to the wonderful park... Water. There is a water pump on the east side of the building, next to the parking lot. I have travelled to Chaco with a minimal amount of fresh water and fill up when we arrive.
You might want to call ahead for a parking spot and inquire about the water pump availability. At times the overflow trailer gets to park in the parking lot until a space opens up... so during "high season" ... inquire. The park has several telescopes and offer overnight guests to look at planets in the clear skies. The talks are excellent by park rangers or the historians that are hired during the busier months... which I cannot recall. But it makes sense the cooler months would be the time to visit. You cannot see much in a day and expect three days to cover the more popular sites and hikes. Not as busy as Mesa Verde, but much more remote and fewer people!
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