A campground at the world-famous park. It even has its own small
ruin, and it is the trailhead for the Chaco Canyon
Overlook Trail.
Gallo Campground
A campground at the world-famous park. It even has its own small
ruin, and it is the trailhead for the Chaco Canyon
Overlook Trail.
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Campground data:
| Controlling agency: | National Park Service; Chaco Culture National Historic Park; campground web site |
| Location in the state: | Northwest; Chaco Culture National Historic Park |
| Waypoint(s): | CCCG |
| Elevation: | Unknown |
| Number of campsites: | 49. 15 are tent-only sites (the tent sites are nicer than the general sites). |
| When we visited it: | 2003-09-13. 4/14/01 |
| Cleanliness: | 9/10 |
| Fee: | $10.00. You must also pay the park entry fee (good for seven days) of $8.00. |
| Water: | Yes. Non-potable water in the campground. Potable water at the visitor center. |
| Garbage cans: | Yes. |
| Fire pits: | Yes. Firepits have cooking grates. |
| Cooking grills: | No. |
| Toilets: | Flush. |
| Showers: | No. |
| Handicapped accessible: | Yes. Site 16 and the restrooms are handicapped accessible. |
| RV info: | No electrical hookups. No water hookups. No sewer hookups. An RV dump station is in the campground. |
| When to camp: | Jan--Dec. It can be very cold in the winter and quite hot in the summer. |
| General comments: | The campground often fills up. Arrive early to assure you get a space. If the campground is full, the nearest camping is at Angel Peak Recreation Area, 41 miles away. There are two group sites. Coyotes are often in the campground; secure your food. The campsites have little if any shade. Consider this if you are planning on going in the summer. |
Maps:
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Getting to the campground:
The National Park Service has made it much easier to find the park than in days gone by. You used to have to guess which road to take whenever you came to a fork. They now have good signs all the way in. They also have a map online.
From Cuba, take US 550 (old NM 44) past Counselor and Lybrook. Just past mile marker 112 is the turnoff, which is across the street from the Red Mesa Express gas station and convenience store. A sign indicates the turnoff to the left. The route is well signed.
After about 4.7 miles, you will turn right from the paved road onto a dirt road, county road 7950. Beware that the dirt road sometimes gets exciting when it rains. Do not cross the washes if there is any water running.
16.4 miles from the turnoff from US 550, the road turns left, and again, there is a sign here. When the road becomes really washboard-y, you are getting close. At 19.4 miles from US 550, you enter the park.
1.5 miles into the park, the campground turnoff is on the right.
The campground:
 | The non-tent sites all are similar to the one pictured here. As you can see, they have made it easier for tenters even in these sites. This is good, because many tent campers make use of the campground. Site 34 of the general camping is especially nice. |
You do not have to leave the campground to see a ruin. This one is at
the north end of the campground.
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Reader comments about this campground:
On Mon May 5 21:31:58 2003 Anonymous from Somewhere said:I camped there in mid-May 2002 initially intending to stay Friday and Saturday night. The campground was very pleasant the first night and it didn't fill up until quite late that evening. The campground was full up by 2 or 3 pm on Saturday afternoon. I remember the ranger giving instructions to disappointed campers who had driven all the way in only to find the campground full. By 5 pm the wind starting kicking up a terrific amount of dust and sand much of it concentrating right in the campground as opposed to other parts of the National Park. It was impossible to cook or eat outdoors. By 6 pm, 3/4 of the campers who had already paid for the night had departed for less dusty environs. RVs and trailers were pretty much the only campers remaining. Even a fully occupied Gallo campground may not stay that way.
I lost a hubcap off my Chrysler minivan on the way into the park and fortunately found a compatible hubcap on the way out. It was not the same hubcap.
On Wed May 24 10:43:14 2006 anonymous from nm said:Add your comments about the Gallo Campground campground.
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