Last season, 19,000 of visitors experienced guided interpretation, educational programs were delivered, volunteers contributed hundreds of service hours, and preservation initiatives continued through collaborative partnerships.
Every ticket purchased, every donation made,and every volunteer hour strengthens our ability to steward this sacred place.
Business name + website link listed on CRIA website
Listed in CRIA newsletter + logo included with link
Community Partner
$500–$999
Heritage Sponsor
$1,000+
2 business shoutouts on Social Media
Digital “Proud Supporter” badge for your website
Prominent logo placement + link on CRIA website
Listed in CRIA Newsletter for 6 months with link to business website
2 business shoutouts on social media
Feature ad in upcoming newsletter (1/2 page)
Digital “Proud Supporter” badge for your website
* Currently 2+K subscribers to CRIA Newsletter / ** Currently 15+K followers on Facebook Contact us at (970) 731-7133, OfficeMgr@ChimneyRockCo.org or scan the QR Code to show your support!
2026 Free Lecture Series
Southwestern Native Rock Art - David Bouquet
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 - Methodist Church, Pagosa Springs, CO
This engaging presentation will introduce attendees to the various types of rock art, showcasing some of the oldest known examples from around the globe. David will then guide the audience through a visual journey of Puebloan rock art sites across the American Southwest, with a map highlighting their presence in Monuments, National and State Parks, and lands managed by the Forest Service and BLM. The lecture will also delve into the important work of the Northwest New Mexico Site Steward Program, which helps protect culturally significant locations that lack formal preservation. Attendees will be treated to stunning photographic examples of rock art panels from prominent sites including Hovenweep National Monument, Bears Ears National Monument, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historic Park, and Mesa Verde National Park.
David will also reflect on the irreplaceable Puebloan and Navajo rock art lost during the creation of Navajo Lake in 1962. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of potential rock art at Chimney Rock National Monument, just outside Pagosa Springs.
Doors open at 5:45pm - Lectures begin promptly at 6:00pm followed by a brief Q&A Session with the Presenter.
See details about the lectures on our website by clicking HERE.
Life at Chimney Rock
The Chimney Rock Interpretive Association (CRIA) is excited to welcome visitors to the annual Life at Chimney Rock Festival, taking place Saturday, June 6, and Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at Chimney Rock National Monument. Thanks to a special waiver from the U.S. Forest Service, this year’s festival is completely free to attend. This family-friendly event offers a unique opportunity to experience the traditions and daily life of the Ancestral Puebloans through interactive demonstrations led by CRIA volunteers. Guests can try hands-on activities such as yucca pounding, coil pottery, weaving, corn grinding, and atlatl spear throwing, while also learning about astronomy, flint knapping, and dendrochronology. Traditional foods, including Anasazi beans, will also be available to sample.
A highlight of the weekend is the Native American Market, featuring artists from the Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna, Santo Domingo, and Santa Clara, along with Navajo, Jicarilla Apache, and Southern Ute artisans. Visitors can shop for authentic handmade goods and watch live demonstrations.
The festival also includes live cultural performances, with the Roach Family Dancers performing at 11:00 AM and the Fragua Family of Jemez Pueblo at 2:00 PM on both days. Food vendors will be on-site offering a variety of options, including barbecue, fry bread, and frito pie. In addition, guests are encouraged to explore the monument’s trails, cultural sites, and Visitor Plaza, all open during the event.
Join us for a weekend of culture, history, and hands-on discovery in a truly remarkable setting.
Event Details
June 6–7, 2026
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Chimney Rock National Monument 30841 State Highway 151, Pagosa Springs, 81147
Admission: Free
Guided Great House Tour
The Guided Great House Tour at Chimney Rock National Monument offers visitors an unforgettable journey into the past—blending history, culture, and breathtaking scenery into a truly meaningful experience.
Offered daily at 10:30 AM, this personalized tour is one of the Monument’s most popular programs. Knowledgeable guides lead visitors along the 1/3mile Great Pueblo Trail, making several stops to share stories and insights about the ancient Puebloan structures built more than 1,000 years ago. Along the way, guests gain a deeper understanding of the people who once lived here and their connection to the larger Chacoan world centered at Chaco Canyon, nearly 90 miles to the southwest.
As the trail climbs steadily upward, the landscape begins to unfold in remarkable ways. Expansive views of the Piedra River Valley and surrounding mountains provide a stunning backdrop while guides point out natural features and cultural connections that shaped daily life for the Ancient Puebloans.
The journey culminates at the Chacoan Great House Pueblo, perched atop the mesa ridge. Here,
visitors are rewarded with sweeping 360-degree panoramic views and the closest possible vantage point of the Monument’s iconic twin pinnacles Chimney Rock and Companion Rock. Peregrine falcons are often seen soaring near Companion Rock, adding an exciting element for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers alike. While the experience is incredibly rewarding, the hike is moderately strenuous. The trail includes a 200-foot elevation gain, uneven terrain, and a steep descent on the return, reaching an elevation of approximately 7,600 feet. Visitors should be in reasonable physical condition, wear sturdy shoes, and bring water for the climb.
For those prepared to make the journey, the Guided Great House Tour offers more than just a hike—it’s a powerful connection to the history, culture, and landscape that define Chimney Rock National Monument.
CHIMNEY ROCK INTERPRETIVE ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
We look forward to your visit and to sharing in the experience of this truly remarkable place. Chimney Rock is more than a destination—it is a landscape rich with history, culture, and connection. As stewards and advocates, we are honored to help preserve and share the stories of the Ancestral Puebloans and the significance of this sacred site.
Our passion for Chimney Rock National Monument is what brings us together, and it is our privilege to help create meaningful experiences for each visitor who walks these trails and takes in these views.
We hope your time here inspires curiosity, reflection, and a deeper appreciation for the history and beauty that make Chimney Rock so special. We look forward to welcoming you.
Ernie O’Toole Vice President
Bernadette Sikes Secretary
Rhonda Julian Treasurer
Tony Aldwell Trustee At Large
Jill Sutton President
Ronnie Vera Doctor Trustee At Large
Kathleen Thompson Trustee At Large
John Kappelman Trustee At Large
Joanne Lucariello Trustee At Large
Tribal Partnerships
Since Chimney Rock was designated a National Monument by Presidential Proclamation 2012, the San Juan National Forest consults and partners with many Native American Tribes and Pueblos to manage the monument, including restoration. In August 2024, the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (a corps program that partners with tribal communities and land managers to accomplish projects based in historical preservation and traditional knowledge) conducted a structural stabilization project at Chimney Rock National Monument.
The Chimney Rock area holds deep spiritual significance for modern pueblo and tribal communities. Today, descendants of the Ancestral Puebloans, Navajo, Jicarilla Apache and Ute return to this important place of cultural continuity for ceremonial and traditional purposes. The area is also an important source of traditional cultural materials that are collected by tribal members for food and medicine Chimney Rock National Monument is managed to protect and preserve access by tribal members for traditional cultural, spiritual, food and medicine gathering purposes, consistent with the purposes of the monument, to the maximum extent permitted by law
The San Juan National Forest ensures that the hunting rights of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe within the exterior boundaries of the Southern Ute Indian Reservation, including lands within the Monument, are upheld The San Juan National Forest also ensures that the hunting and fishing rights of the 1873 Brunot Agreement are upheld on public lands under its management jurisdiction, including those lands within the Monument Tribes with ancestral and cultural ties to the Chimney Rock National Monument landscape: Kewa Pueblo Pueblo of Santa Ana Pueblo de Cochiti Pueblo of Santa Clara Pueblo of Acoma Pueblo of Taos Pueblo of Isleta Pueblo of Tesuque Pueblo of Jemez Pueblo of Zia Pueblo of Laguna Zuni Tribe of the Zuni Reservation Pueblo of Nambé Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo of Picuris Hopi Tribe Pueblo of Pojoaque Jicarilla Apache Nation Pueblo of San Felipe Navajo Nation Pueblo of San Ildefonso Pueblo of Sandia Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Southern Ute Indian Tribe Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah & Ouray Reservation
