Centered around two dramatic buttes that were sacred to the Ancestral Puebloan People, the Chimney Rock Archaeological Area near Durango and Pagosa Springs is a fascinating and scenic place to visit.
Almost 1,000 years ago, the ancestors of Pueblo Indians farmed this area and lived among these buttes. While archaeologists have located 91 permanent structures, they estimate that more than 200 homes covered this site at the height of its period. Offering the Ancestral Puebloans a valuable vantage point of the surrounding landscape, the settlement was also in close proximity to the twin rock pinnacles they held sacred.
Guided hikes lead visitors to excavated sites including the Great Kiva, Ridge House and Great Pueblo. While the specific structures and immediate environment are fragile, preservation efforts have helped keep this national treasure intact for generations to come.
Did You Know:
From 2005 to 2007, the Forest Service allowed visitors to see the Major Lunar Standstill from high atop Chimney Rock for the first time. As seen from the Fire Tower site, the moon rose perfectly between the two buttes, creating an enchanting scene of silver light and deep shadow. The event occurs on a regular cycle every 18.6 years, and is believed to have inspired the construction atop Chimney Rock’s high mesa of the Great House. If you missed it, be sure to look for it again in 2022!
Good to Know Before You Go:
From May 15 to September 30, four guided walking tours are conducted a day at 9:30am, 10:30am, 1pm and 2pm. Each tour lasts roughly 2 1/2 hours. An additional guided walking tour is available at noon during the height of the season, June 15 through August 31.
Make sure you bring good walking shoes, plenty of water and sunscreen.
ADA Accessibility:
Contact the visitors center at the numbers below to find out more about this site’s accessibility.
Location:
Located 3 miles south of Hwy. 160 on Hwy. 151, between Durango and Pagosa Springs, CO.
www.chimneyrockco.org
970-883-5359 (May 15–September 30)
970-264-2287 (off-season)
Hours (May 15–September 30): Daily 9 am–4:30 pm.
This project is partially funded by a State Historical Fund grant award from the Colorado Historical Society.
Colorado's Historic Sites
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updated: 08/29/06