Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin
From the Rio Grande up US-550 to the great houses of Chaco Canyon, the Bisti badlands and Aztec Ruins, ending in Durango.
- Distance
- 406 km (252 mi)
- Driving
- 4 h 30 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 7
- States
- NM, CO
- Updated
- May 16, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 406 km (252 mi) with 7 stops, from Albuquerque to Durango. About 4 h 30 min of driving in total.
More road trips in New Mexico, Colorado
Route description
Leave Albuquerque north on I-25 to Bernalillo and stop at Coronado Historic Site, where Kuaua Pueblo overlooks the Rio Grande. Then take US-550 northwest through the red mesas of Zia Pueblo and the village of Cuba, the last town with full services. It is about 180 km from Bernalillo to the Chaco turnoff at County Road 7900, south of Nageezi.
The road to Chaco Culture National Historical Park is paved for the first 13 km, then continues for about 21 km on rough dirt that becomes impassable after heavy rain. Cars and small campers manage it slowly in dry weather, but large RVs should not try. Gallo Campground, near the visitor center, is reservable and very dark at night; the park often holds evening astronomy programs.
Inside the park, a paved 14 km loop road passes the great houses of Pueblo Bonito, Chetro Ketl and Pueblo del Arroyo, and trails climb to the mesa tops. Leave Chaco the same way, then drive north on US-550 and west to NM-371 for the Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness. There are no trails; walk east from the main parking lot into the hoodoos with a GPS.
NM-371 leads north to Farmington, a busy town on the San Juan River. Aztec Ruins National Monument is 20 km east in the town of Aztec, where you can enter a reconstructed great kiva. From there, US-550 continues north into Colorado and climbs to Durango, about 60 km away, where the San Juan Skyway and the narrow-gauge railway to Silverton start.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Albuquerque
NM - 234 km
Coronado Historic Site
HistoryBernalillo, NMThe ruins of Kuaua Pueblo beside the Rio Grande, with a reconstructed kiva showing copies of pre-contact murals found here. It is just off US-550 in Bernalillo, 30 minutes north of Albuquerque; closed on some weekdays.
- 3181 km
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
HistoryNageezi, NMGreat houses of the Ancestral Puebloan world, including Pueblo Bonito. The last 21 km of the approach from US-550 (CR 7900/7950) is rough dirt, impassable after rain and unsuitable for large RVs.
- 441 km
Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
OdditiesFarmington, NMBadlands of eroded hoodoos and petrified wood with no marked trails. Park at the main lot off NM-371 and navigate by GPS; carry plenty of water.
- 562 km
Farmington
NM - 628 km
Aztec Ruins National Monument
HistoryAztec, NMA 900-year-old Ancestral Puebloan great house with a reconstructed great kiva you can walk into. Compact site with a visitor center in the town of Aztec.
- 760 km
Durango
CO
FAQs
How long is Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin?
3-day road trip of about 406 km (252 mi) with 7 stops, from Albuquerque to Durango. About 4 h 30 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin?
We suggest 3 days: about 4 h 30 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin start and end?
It starts in Albuquerque and ends in Durango.
Which states does Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin pass through?
New Mexico and Colorado.
