Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
San Juan-Rio Grande National Forest Headquarters
( 970-247-4874;
www.fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan
;
15 Burnett Ct;
9am-5pm Mon-Sat)
Offers camping and hiking information and maps. It's about a half-mile
west on US Hwy 160.
Getting There & Away
Durango lies at the junction of US Hwys 160 and 550, 42 miles east of Cortez, 49 miles
west of Pagosa Springs and 190 miles north of Albuquerque in New Mexico.
Durango-La Plata County Airport
( 970-247-8143;
www.flydurango.com
; 1000 Airport Rd)
This airport is
18 miles southwest of Durango via US Hwy 160 and Hwy 172. Both United and Frontier
Airlines have direct flights to Denver; US Airways flies to Phoenix.
Durango Transit
( 970-259-5438;
www.getarounddurango.com
; 250 W 8th St)
Greyhound buses run daily
from here north to Grand Junction and south to Albuquerque, NM.
Getting Around
are fitted with bicycle racks. A free bright-red T shuttle bus travels Main St.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Chimney Rock Archaeological Area
Like the architects of the elaborate structures in Chaco Canyon - with which this commu-
nity was connected - the people of the
Chimney Rock Archaeological Area
(
off-season
970-264-2287, visitor cabin 970-883-5359;
www.chimneyrockco.org
;
Hwy 151; guided tours adult/child $12/5;
9am-4:30pm mid-May-late Sep, additional evening hr for special events; )
were dedicated astronomers
and this was a place of spiritual significance. Remains of 100 permanent structures are at
the base of two large red-rock buttes. Walking tours are at 9:30am, 10:30am, 1pm and
2:30pm.
Today, the rock monuments remain, though the thriving religious and commercial cen-
ter has been reduced to sketches in stone - hearths and shafts for ventilation, holes for
roof beams and storage areas. The largest pair of buildings here, the Great Kiva and Great
House, are both impressive examples of Chacoan architecture. Designated an Archaeolo-
gical Area and National Historic Site in 1970, the entire area covers more than 4000 acres
