📷 National Trails Office (US National Park Service), Public domain

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: July 7, 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 · More road trips from Albuquerque

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.

1

Albuquerque
NM
Start
2

Coronado Historic Site
HistoryBernalillo, NM
The 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.
34 km
3

Chaco Culture National Historical Park
HistoryNageezi, NM
Great 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.
181 km
4

Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness
OdditiesFarmington, NM
Badlands 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.
41 km
5

Farmington
NM
62 km
6

Aztec Ruins National Monument
HistoryAztec, NM
A 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.
28 km
7

Durango
CO
60 km

Suggested stages and overnight stops

3 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.

Day 1: Albuquerque → Chaco Culture National Historical Park · 134 mi · 2 h 23 minOn the way: Coronado Historic Site.Overnight nearby, for example: Gallo Campground (4 mi).
Day 2: Chaco Culture National Historical Park → Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness · 26 mi · 0 h 28 min
Day 3: Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness → Durango · 93 mi · 1 h 39 minOn the way: Farmington, Aztec Ruins National Monument.Overnight nearby, for example: HTR Durango Campground (4 mi); Alpen Rose RV Park (5 mi).

Best time to go

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The most pleasant months are usually April–May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June, September and November. Hot in July–August. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.

Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons

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.

Where can you camp along Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin?

OpenStreetMap lists 55 campsites and motorhome stopovers within 19 mi of the stops on this route. For example: High Desert RV Park, American RV Resort and Turquoise Trail Campground.

When is the best time for Chaco Canyon and the San Juan Basin?

The most pleasant months are usually April–May and October. Still fine, with some compromises, in June, September and November. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)