The best walks and hikes in San Juan County

Info and starting point for several trail options where biking is legal in the canyon. Great way to approach the far flung archaeological sites along the way

These rock formations feel like they have been transported straight out of mythology. The eggs are concretions, which are small boulders that have been eroded into spherical shapes. Hundreds of the strange features lie across the Bisti Badlands area.

The cliffs and hoodoos are named Eagles Nest because they are home to a small family of Golden Eagles. The eagles are most seen during the twilight hours when they go out to hunt.

Northeast Window is one of two arches that makes up the iconic Two Windows rock formation. The towering structure can be seen from a long distance, and is most easily reach by walking north from the Cracked Eggs.

Famous for its triwall structure, this outlying Chaco greathouse is just along the paved loop road, with bike parking and a short trail to the ruins

One of the fascinating outlier settlements, Kin Kletso is directly along the paved park road and easily accessible by bicycle. The bike rack is also a good starting point to access the Pueblo Alto hiking trail to the plateau.

The Chaco Canyon site is a marvel. Here is preserved a set of cities and great houses of the Anasazi culture quite remarkable. This site is in danger because it is threatened with destruction by oil companies. Since the appointment of US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the first woman of Pueblo descent to hold the post, the danger has been averted for the time being. “It is always difficult to convey why land, water and air are culturally and spiritually important, and not just for economic gain.” On Monday, November 22, 2021, she proudly climbed the podium against a backdrop of sandstone cliffs. She was flanked by Pueblo leaders who had gathered that day to commemorate recently announced protections for the Chaco Culture National Historic Park, where ancestral Puebloans created a vast center of commerce, culture and art, from this tawny-colored rock over a thousand years ago. After visiting the ruins of the main city, do not hesitate to browse the plateau overlooking the site, you will have a breathtaking overview.

This campsite is near an archaeological site with many petroglyphs from the Chaco culture, as well as two small dwellings dating from the same period, located under the cliff. The pitches for camping are numerous and are practical because some are leaning against the rock. You are only a few kilometers away from the great archaeological site of Chaco Canyon.