Chaco Culture Conservancy

05/27/2026

Last week the National Trust For Historic Preservation placed the Great Chaco Cultural Landscape on its annual list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2026.

The inclusion of the Greater Chacoan Landscape on this list is a testament to its incredible importance and to the urgent need for public support of its preservation and protection.

The Chaco Culture Conservancy remains committed to our mission of supporting Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Aztec Ruins National Monument. Each of these National Park Service units protects an irreplaceable piece of the Greater Chacoan Landscape. We will continue to fight for their preservation, for past, present, and future generations.

05/22/2026

Great houses are GREAT, but have you taken time to learn more about small houses?

Within Chaco Culture National Historical Park, there are hundreds of small house sites...mostly placed on the south side of the canyon opposite the great houses. The ancestral peoples who built them grouped them together into what look like small communities. It is possible that each community was defined by a family group, and they may have been associated with individual great houses.

Scientists generally believe that small house sites were residences, which may answer the question "where did everyone live, if not in the great houses?"

Here are a few things to know about small houses:

✔ They predate the great houses, being built around late A.D. 700s - early 800s
✔ They are almost always single story, often built using single block wide masonry
✔ Smaller rooms than great houses
✔ Standard floor plans
✔ These communities were not typically built with an associated kiva, the exception being the Casa Rinconada community

Today, you can visit several excavated small house sites that are part of the Casa Rinconada community and are accessible via the 1/2 mile trail that surrounds the great kiva. Keep in mind, these are only a handful of the hundreds of small houses that exist in the canyon!


Information from: The Chaco Handbook - An Encyclopedic Guide by R. Gwinn Vivian and Bruce Hilpert

05/18/2026

🚨Call for Board Members 🚨

Are you looking for ways to create deeper engagement with the Chaco Culture Conservancy? Interested in nonprofit leadership and collaboration? Not afraid to get to work, be part of a team, and put in volunteer hours?

We might just be looking for you!

The Chaco Culture Conservancy is filling an application pool for additional board members to join our board in late 2026-early 2027.

A few things you should know:

⭐ Volunteer position - 4-8 hours/month expected engagement
⭐ Quarterly board meetings with mandatory attendance
⭐ Serve on a committee
⭐ Active participation in planning, development, & decision making
⭐ Contribute to donor cultivation and stewardship efforts

In particular, we are looking for people who:

💚 Will add to the perspectives of Pueblo and Tribal members on our board
💚 Have expertise in New Mexican law and government relations
💚 Have experience with the arts and donor communities in Santa Fe surrounding areas

Overall, the board welcomes applications from qualified candidates who are passionate about our mission and ready to contribute to our board's leadership.

For more information and how to apply, click the link in our bio or check the comments section below 👇

05/12/2026

National parks are more than landscapes—they’re places of connection across generations, cultures, and communities.

Celebrate the wonder of our shared lands at Out There: A National Parks Story.

We’re excited to be a sponsor for this one-night-only event in Albuquerque! Out There: A National Parks Story is playing at the historic KiMo Theatre on May 21, 2026. This award-winning film captures the power of our public lands through breathtaking cinematography, live music, and inspiring conversation.

And, the CCC will be there as well! Stop by our table and say hi 👋

Presented by Western National Parks. Get your tickets at the link in our bio or check the comments for a link👇




Western National Parks New Mexico True Visit Albuquerque Chaco Culture Conservancy

05/01/2026

Come spend the day with us as we take on Washington D.C.!

We're far from New Mexico but proud to be speaking with our Congressional delegation about the work that we do to support Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Aztec Ruins National Monument 💪

Thanks to the offices of , , , , and for taking the time to meet with us and for your continued support of our national parks. Thanks to for your work to bring this group to Capitol Hill!

04/30/2026

Yesterday we joined the on Capitol Hill!

We spent the day speaking with New Mexico congressional delegation staffers about our parks, their unique needs, and the work that we do as a philanthropic partner organization.

It is our pleasure and our honor to share in the stewardship of these irreplaceable national park sites, and we were excited to bring our mission to D.C.

Huge thank you to the National Park Foundation for organizing this Hill Day and for inviting the Chaco Culture Conservancy and other partners to be a part of it. And, another huge thanks to the entire New Mexico delegation and their staffers for meeting with us and for their continued work to preserve and protect New Mexico's national parks!

Together, we can make a difference for our public lands 💚

04/20/2026

From volunteers to visitors, it takes a community to care for places
like Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Aztec Ruins National Monument.

We’re proud to be part of it. We’re .

Learn more about the ways that you can support the Chaco Culture Conservancy, and become part of our community at chacoculture.org 👏

04/20/2026

At the Chaco Culture Conservancy, we’re passionate about our protected places. We’re proud to be part of a community of over 100 dedicated park partners who care for these special places every day. Join us as we work together to protect our parks — today, tomorrow, and forever.

The Chaco Culture Conservancy is

Join us in celebration of everything that park partners like the Chaco Culture Conservancy and National Park Foundation do for our national parks by giving us a follow, checking out our website, or making a donation today!

Check the comments or visit our link in bio to learn more.


📸: Johanna Welling

04/19/2026

🪐Drops of Jupiter 🪐

There's no better place to witness the night sky than Chaco Culture National Historical Park.

How did you celebrate International Dark Sky Week? Let us know in the comments, or share your favorite night sky memory 👇


📷: Clif Taylor. Jupiter shining through a doorway in Pueblo del Arroyo.

04/17/2026

Wondering where else to see the night sky in New Mexico?

Checkout this guide to International Dark Sky Parks throughout the state!

Learn about the best spots for stargazing in the state including Chaco Culture National Historic Park, Valles Caldera National Preserve & Cosmic Campground.