Hiking permits are required for these trails. The trails are open from sunrise to sunset.
PUEBLO ALTO TRAIL
Distance: Loop Trail—5.4 mi. (8.7 km.)
Pueblo Alto—3.2 mi. (5.2 km.)
Pueblo Bonito Overlook—1.6 mi. (2.6 km.)
Elevation Gain: 350'
Time Required for Total Loop: 4-5 hours
Trailhead Access—Pueblo del Arroyo Parking Area
Please Note; for your safety and that of others, Do Not Park Along the Road.
Leading to the prehistoric structures of Pueblo Alto and New Alto, this trail provides excellent panoramic views of the canyon floor and surrounding mesas. The route also includes outstanding overlooks of Pueblo Bonito and Chetro Ketl, as well as views of Jackson staircase and prehistoric farming terraces. Several prehistoric roads converge at Pueblo Alto and sections of them are discernible by slight variations in the vegetation.
PENASCO BLANCO TRAIL
Distance: 6.4 mi. (10.3 km.)
Elevation Gain: 150'
Time Required—4-5 hours
Trailhead ACCESS—Pueblo del Arroyo Parking Area
This trail leads to one of the earliest pueblos in the canyon. Construction at Penasco Blanco, Pueblo Bonito, and Una Vida began around the middle of the ninth century. From the trail, a large concentration of petroglyphs can be seen along the canyon wall. The route also includes a spur trail to the "Supernova Pictograph" site.
Wijiji Trail
Distance: 3.0 mi. (4.8 km.) round-trip
Elevation Gain: Insignificant
Time Required—2-3 hours
Trailhead Access—Wijiji Parking Area
This trail leads to the prehistoric pueblo of Wijiji, which was built around A.D. 1100. Wijiji differs from sites like Pueblo Bonito and Chetro Ketl in that it appears to have been built in one construction sequence rather than several. Evidence of this single sequence can be seen in the exceptional symmetry of the building plan and the uniformity of the masonry. To the northeast of the structure along the canyon wall there is a small rock art panel.
South Mesa Trail
Distance: To Tsin Kletzin—3.0 mi. (4.8 km.)
Total Loop—4.1 mi. (6.6 km.)
Elevation Gain—450'
Time Required—2-3 hours for Tsin Kletzin
3-4 hours for full loop
Trailhead Access—Casa Rinconada Trail or from behind Pueblo del Arroyo. This route provides several excellent vistas of South Gap and leads the hiker 100' higher than any other point along the canyon trails. In the spring and summer, an abundant array of wildflowers enhances the beauty of the landscape. Tsin Kletzin dates from the early A.D. 1100s. The view from this building overlooks Pueblo Alto, Penasco Blanco, Kin Klizhin, and Kin Ya'a.
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