Gallo Campground

We left Farmington for Chaco on 9/6. Please get a paper map because GPS is not reliable. Yes, it will show a route but it may be over roads "as the crow flies" instead of a logical path. Luckily, I had a Garmin Mapshare device and could see where we wanted to go. The route was too far north and we crossed a lot of reservation land on some nice roads and one about a mile long that was better left to a tractor, with no need.

The weather was mild. Glad we got a tent because the slight breeze was too much for our lightweight sleeping bags. When it got dark the milky way was fabulous. However, the real surprise was at 3am when we went to the bathroom.

The sky literally came down to the edges of the canyon. It seemed you could just reach out and touch the stars. They were huge and bright in the pure darkness. We will go back again but next time I want a bed and a floor for comfort.

Small campground in a great location. Each campsite was had a tent pad and extra space for a second tent and the campsites with spaced out well. Pit toilets were clean and stocked with tp and hand sanitizer. Our site was surrounded by junipers and afforded a nice view of the valley. Our campers were very quiet.

Exceptionally well taken care of campground with very clean bathrooms. Ranger Gary came by each night and said hello to each guest. Only shade is late in the day, cast from the rocks of the canyon, but otherwise it is quiet and peaceful. Some lean-tos for shade would be a great improvement. Hiked out to Peñaco Blanco one morning, moderate to strenous hike that was about 7-8 miles round trip. This was an exceptionally beautiful and moving experience. Spent about one hour at the site with my wife. If you really want to know the spirit of Chacocoan culture, this is the place to go. We were practically the only ones on the trail, seeing only one other person. Please be respectful of indigenous culture and archaeological sites in situ. Coming back next to hike Pueblo Alto.

Not bad , it definitely was 20 miles of dirt road coming in from the south. Road wasn't to terrible. But the weather was also nice. If weather is bad I could see a couple of places that might be tough. The campground was pretty nice, I'm just not used to camping 10 feet away from other people. I have only boondocked before. But a decent experience overall

Nice sites, sparsely attended campground during the week. Bathrooms were very clean! Great view of Fajada Butte in the morning.

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Clean and well taken care of.

If you can get through the rough roads to access the park, then you will be in for a magical stay at Chaco Canyon. Gallow campground’s location is its biggest benefit, as the campsites are primitive. This place is special and well worth the trip.

What beauty, majesty and natural beauty! Second time to Chaco, first time to camp. Was super excited to have super clean bathrooms with flush toilets and running water! Great staff, and even a bit of cell service at the top of a mesa! Beautiful trails, pristine ruins, and nice park rangers. Will be back, maybe in the cooler months.
Thank you.

Great night under the stars, wish I would have made it a 2 night stay