Exploring Chaco Canyon A visit to this National Historic Park offers a glimpse into the rich history and culture of northern New Mexico BY BRENDA BERGREEN
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ooking out over Chaco Canyon National Historic Park, there’s a sense of magic and discovery. Even though I visited the national park as an adult, I picture a younger version of myself exploring the place as I duck through doorways and gaze through windows. Historical places like Chaco Canyon pique our curiosity and inspire us to ask questions about the people that built the impressive structures that Chaco Canyon is known for. We wonder how they lived, what they believed and why they left. Such places cause us to say deep and inspired things like, ‘woah’ and ‘cool.’ Located in a remote area of New Mexico, Chaco Canyon has dark skies that are perfect for
Looking into a site along the South Mesa Trail. photo by Marc Bergreen
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stargazing; in fact, an observatory was built in 1998. The night sky at Chaco Canyon is bound to take your breath away. Chaco Canyon is fascinating from an architectural perspective. One can see the changes in construction, material and design based on the year a section was built and the advances in technology over time. Beyond construction, the design itself shows complexity and seems to be inspired by the cosmos. In addition to the buildings, an area known as the Sun Dagger rests high on one of the buttes. A set of petroglyphs are struck with light shafts on the summer and winter solstice, and again on the spring and fall equinoxes.
