Chaco Canyon National Monument Travel Forum

I'm planning a trip to the Southwest in early September.
I hope to include Chaco on my itinerary but I will be traveling in your basic rental car (compact) and am beginning to wonder if travel into the canyon might be too extreme for this vehicle... and perhaps me.
It would be a day visit up from Gallup and then on to Albuquerque/Sante Fe area.
Any suggestions?

Many thanks in advance!
Pamela

HI and Shalom:
If your rented car is from a reputable company you should have no problems...
We had for many years a sub-compact with a motor of only 544 CC, smaller than many motorcycle engines, and we took it into the Sinai desert and all up and down the length of Israel in the heat of summer, packed till you could no longer see the car and we never had any problems....with luggage or people or anything....
Let me know when you have pictures on your pages, we are considering going to Chaco Canyon next year when we raft the Grand Canyon.
Have fun,
Martin

The south entrance road is very rough, so don't enter that way. If you enter near Nagezi, the road is pretty good for a car.

good luck

Just drive slowly and don't go if it's raining. Cars go to Chaco all the time--you should have no problems.

Pamela, you have already gotten some good advice but I'll add my own experience. It has been about a year and half since I last went to Chaco. I have only used the road in from near Nagezi. It is a normal country, improved dirt road. Basically any car can make it. You will have to drive slowly because the road is badly "washboarded," but that is just a nuisance. There is a big arroyo to cross, which you should not enter if it has water in it; however, that is unlikely in September. Ironically, the road is paved once you enter the monument.