chimney rock national monument

Call ahead depending on the time of year. Super easy to find, beautiful scenery on the way! It was full of snow when we went, but we hiked to the waterfall.

We by-passed this many times, not knowing how much there was to see. All you see from the road are monumental rocks, but it's real attraction are the Puebloan ruins, and the spectacular views. Once a month, it is open at night for a full moon program - eerie and gorgeous. Seasonal opening so check website before going.

There are many sites around the world showing our ancestors worship of the sun, but this is one of very few that is about the moon. Incredible views and interesting history about astroarcheology. If possible don't miss one of the monthly full moon programs. It is an incredible experience.

In winter, the road is closed and you have to hike 3 miles to the top of the mesa where the monument is. But it's well worth the climb when you get there, and you will usually find yourself alone among the ruins of the ancient pueblo and with spectacular views of Companion Rock and Chimney Rock.

Wow what a historic site. What a guided hike. I did not think I could make due to altitude and trail. The guide was awesome and made sure the hike to the top was special. He assured me no one had been airlifted and he was right. I will go back again and again.

$12 per person, we took the self guided lower tour, then the guided upper tour. Tour guide Susan was very knowledgeable and the views were most excellent.

Established September 21, 2012, Chimney Rock is one of our newest National Monuments. There is not an entrance fee for the monument however there is a tour fee of $12.00 for adults, $5.00 for children ages 5 to 16. You can take one or both tours; the $12/$5 fee covers one or both. National Parks Annual passes do not waive or reduce the tour fees. When it is time for the tour to start you follow the docent in your car to the parking lot. We had signed up for both the Kiva Trail tour (9:30, 10:30 and 1:30) and the Pueblo Trail tour (10:30, 11:30, noon and 2:30). One hour is scheduled for each tour. If there is not a tour available when you visit the monument you can do a self-guided tour of the Kiva Trail between 10:30 and 3:00 but not the Pueblo Trail. Fee for the self-guided tour is $12/$5.The docents are trained volunteers who explain what the various structures are and how they were used. What is unique about Chimney Rock are its ties to Chaco Canyon. The architectural style and more detailed stonework is different than most other four corners sites such as Mesa Verde. I would suggest that reading the historical information on the Chimney Rock National Monument website will greatly enhance ones visit. I wish I had. The Kiva Trail is a one third mile paved, ADA accessible loop. It features the Great Kiva, an excavated pit house and some unexcavated structures. The Pueblo Trail is a 2/3 mile unimproved trail with a 200 foot elevation gain and some rocky spots along the way. The higher elevation (7,600 ft.) proved to be too much for one couple and they had to drop out of the second tour.As with any outdoor activity in the Southwest, bring water, wear comfortable shoes, use sunscreen and wear a hat. Restrooms are available. We highly recommend taking both tours.

Hello. Thank you for your visit to Chimney Rock and we are sorry if there tour fee caused any inconvenience to you and your family. Since we are not part of the National Park Service it can be confusing for the public. We at Chimney Rock Interpretive Association strive to make each visit special and a positive experience. We hope you consider visiting us again in the future. Please let me know and I would be happy to extend a complimentary pass to one of our special events.

We are so glad to hear about the wonderful time you had at Chimney Rock National Monument! Please consider visiting us again for that sunrise!

Thank you for recent visit and review. We hope you visit us again next season!

We are so glad you enjoyed your recent visit. Thank you for the review and we hope to see you again soon! Also, thank you for the references for additional information on Chimney Rock!

This park is loaded with history. Great place to go if you are looking for something different and historical. The guides are very good and knowledgeable. This is a walking park with gravel roads. Take water and head gear with you.

Chimney Rock is not for its scenic beauty or unusual setting.. it's a monument to the ancient natives (Anasazi) that lived here 200 years before those of Mesa Verde. Chimney Rock and its neighbor (approp. named "Companion Rock") were used for lunar and astrological study and following by the ancient Puebloans) who used these findings to determine when to plant and migrate, etc. Chimney Rock NM is part of a much larger heritage dedicated to the ancient natives of the region, which includes Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, Aztec, Chaco Canyon, etc. You cannot hike this Nat. Park, but you can take a $12 guided tour. It's basically the only way you will get to see the higher elevations here. The park is staffed by volunteers who take a great interest in the area and seem very knowledgeable. There is no fee to enter the park.. but you're limited to what you get to see.

This is a small national monument staffed by volunteers. You pay for a guided tour of the upper encampment and can do a self guided tour of the lower one. You cannot access the upper one without a guide. The volunteers are friendly and knowledgable. You pay at the information booth and then are allowed to drive to the upper parking area to wait for your tour. Check for times, as they do try to keep a schedule. Bathrooms are available at the upper parking area. Take along water and a hat as the climb to the upper ruins can get hot. Not too bad of a climb though. Our guide stopped for breaks so everyone could catch their breath. Not much has been excavated, but enough to get the general idea of how the former inhabitants lived. Special night programs are available as are native American cultural gatherings throught the summer. Again, check for times at their website www.chimneyrockco.org. If you are on your way to Durango from Alamosa, it's well worth your visit.

We visited Chimney Rock again this summer, the first time since they received "National Monument" status. A member of our party has a National Park Pass (NPP), this was of no use to us. They do not charge "admission" so there was no need for the NPP. The unfortunate part about the no "admission charge" was the mandatory tour fee. You could take a self-guided tour of the lower part of the ruins, or a guided tour of the lower and upper part (upper is guided only). Each cost $12, so whether or not you want a guide, you will be paying $12.The guides are volunteers, and you get the luck of the draw. Unfortunately this time we got a character that was more into sharing too much info about his family, than into sharing info about the site. He also decided to start the tour in third person, but went in and out of third person so it was a little challenging to follow at times. We have been here before when the guides were outstanding. Chimney Rock would benefit from training so that all guides share the same info in the same manner. This would help with consistency and ensure the best experience for all guests.We will probably not be back, the volunteer that checked us in insisted on going over the entire tour in detail (even though we told her three different times we had been there before), and then got an attitude when we told her a fourth time we had been there - this time her response..."Why didn't you tell me that". It went downhill from there and frankly we just about walked out, the experience didn't get much better with our guide. An unfortunate experience when we know that it had been a great experience previously.