If you look up “middle of nowhere,” I guarantee there’s a photo of Chaco there. Let me put it this way — the directions include “turn off the paved road and drive sixteen miles.” The road into the park is so bad that I couldn’t play any CDs because they kept skipping. They even have a sign in the visitor center that basically says, “Yes, we know the road is crappy — we like it that way. If too many people came to the park it would be destroyed. Congratulations on making it this far.”
Nevertheless, the drive was well worth it as the park is spectacular. The canyon was the center of Chacoan culture and includes ruins of many settlements. The campground is cool too — right up next to the canyon wall. I was surprised that, in the middle of the week in May, it was nearly full — looked like a lot of retirees were out trying to enjoy the parks before school let out for the summer.
The park has several neat hikes^H^H^H^H^H^Hclimbs, one of which I attempted until the CREVASSE OF DOOM turned me back. (I can quash the vertigo; the claustrophobia is a bit stronger.) I settled for poking round lots of ruins instead.
Onward to Mesa Verde…