Gallo Campground — Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Reviewed Jul. 16, 2022

Hot, dry, sandy, no shade, decent facilities, historical setting

Face it, you don't go to Chaco Canyon, or Chaco Culture National Historical Park, for the camping experience. You go for the history, archaeology, ruins, mystery, astronomy and appreciation for the peoples who built these great houses 1200 years ago. But the facilities for tent camping are adequate-to-better, with very good restroom facilities and drinking water. No showers - carefully read the descriptions. No T-Mobile coverage to speak of, although if you make the climb up to Pueblo Alto to overlook Pueblo Bonito, I did get a weak signal that was good enough to download emails, but that was it.

Some of the campsites are closer to each other than others. The camp is arranged in a loop, generally I'd prefer to be toward the far end end of the loop for vehicle privacy. 

CAUTION: Pay attention to the weather and especially rain in the preceding days. I drove up to Chaco from Grants (from the south) and got stuck in about what turned out to be about a foot of mud under a few inches of standing water in a wash 4.4 miles from the Chaco Visitor's Center. Don't risk it! I drove out to the north on the road that connects to NM 550. That's the much preferred road IMO, and apparently the one also usually recommended by the NPS staff.

Site021
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Gallo Campground — Chaco Culture National Historical Park by Steve S., July 16, 2022
  • I followed this pickup, but after stopping and getting out to assess the options, I chose to go to the left. There was less water showing, but what I couldn't see is that the mud was deeper on the left. It took me 17 minutes to get out.
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  • Review photo of Gallo Campground — Chaco Culture National Historical Park by Steve S., July 16, 2022