On September 21, 2012, President Barack Obama proclaimed Chimney Rock National Monument, making it the seventh national monument managed by the USDA Forest Service.
The Forest Service and Tribes are planning a 10th anniversary event to recognize the designation of Chimney Rock as a National Monument September 23-24, 2022. The 10th anniversary of CRNM is an opportunity for the Forest Service to honor Tribal traditions, histories, influences, and continued connections to the area; recognize the work of monument partners; and highlight the Forest Service’s role in preserving the legacy of the past while providing the public meaningful recreational and educational experiences.
The Chimney Rock National Monument encompasses 4,726 acres of the San Juan National Forest between Durango and Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The Chimney Rock Interpretive Program is managed and staffed by the U.S. Forest Service and Chimney Rock Interpretive Association. In addition to daily guided walking tours, special events and school tours are also offered.
At Chimney Rock, you can imagine the landscape as it was a thousand years ago, with cultivated fields and settlements extending from the valley floors to the mesa tops. Chimney Rock represents one of the largest Pueblo II (900-1150 AD) communities in southwestern Colorado and is considered a Chacoan cultural “outlier.”
Operating Hours and Seasons
May 15 through September 30 from 9am – 4:30pm. Please, arrive no later than 3:30 pm. This is the minimum amount of time needed to visit the main site and visitor center. Chimney Rock National Monument is day use only and is available on a first-come, first served basis. Due to parking limitations at the upper parking lot, customers may occasionally need to wait at the visitor center.
Chimney Rock Interpretive Association (CRIA) promotes public education, interpretation, and stewardship of culture and history through guided tours and special events of the Chimney Rock National historic site.
Daily Walking Tour: CRIA offers one guided walking tour each day between May 15th and September 30th. The daily tour is available first come, first serve. No reservations necessary. There is a fee for the daily guided tour and payment can be made at the Chimney Rock visitor center. Bring water, hat, sunscreen, bug repellant, and good walking shoes for the rough Great House trail. For more information or for reservations for groups of 10 or more (required), visit the CRIA webpage.