Books Available at Gift Shop

Discover Our Bookstore at Chimney Rock

Step into the Gift Shop at Chimney Rock National Monument and explore our welcoming store, where history, culture, and the natural beauty of the Southwest come alive through the written word. From in-depth studies on Ancestral Puebloan life and archaeology to engaging guides on astronomy, nature, and regional history, there’s something for every curious mind.

Check out titles such as “Chaco Culture at Chimney Rock” by Susan Fischer and Howard Rowe, along with many more carefully selected works that celebrate the rich heritage of Chimney Rock and the Four Corners region. Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a returning friend, our Gift Shop offers resources and inspiration to help deepen your connection to this extraordinary place.

Come browse, learn, and take a piece of Chimney Rock home with you.

In the Shadow of the RocksIn the Shadow of the Rocks: Archaeology of the Chimney Rock District in Southwest Colorado

September 15, 2011 by Florence C. Lister(Author), Elizabeth A. Green(Editor)
Thirty years after the discovery of the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, the first scientific archaeological explorations in Colorado took place in a district of the upper San Juan River drainage known for a pair of prominent pinnacles called Chimney Rock. In the Shadow of the Rocks presents a comprehensive history of archaeological research performed in the district as well as new interpretations of the role of the Chimney Rock communities in regional prehistory. This new edition brings findings up to date, with reports by current archaeological and astronomical researchers, and a new foreword by Richard Moe, president emeritus of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

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Four Corners - Complete Guide

Four Corners – Complete Guide to Parks, Monuments & Museums

Gian Mercurio and Max Peschel

This guidebook will help you explore the world of the Northern San Juan people – villages with towers, astronomical alignments, water control systems, and great kivas.  Their world is brought to life by museums of the highest quality.  The book contains specialized information on geology, plants and animals, archeoastronomy, accessibility, biking, short walks, moderate hiking and material not found on websites.  With easy-to-follow maps, activities, and local information it will make your visit to the Southwest much more rewarding.

Four Corners - Chaco Outliers

Chaco Outliers: A Complete Guide

By Gian Mercurio and Max Peschel

Chaco Outlers: A Complete Guide will help you explore the world of Chaco outliers—villages with preplanned architectural design, astronomical alignments, constructed landscapes, and sophisticated engineering. It has easy-to-follow maps, activities, and information designed to make your visit more rewarding. Specialized information includes geology, plants and animals, astronomy, and accessibility.

The five ancestral Puebloan sites covered here represent many types of villages north of Chaco. Salmon Ruins was an original outlier, closely connected to Chaco. Aztec ruins was built to replicate “downtown Chaco” and has the only restored Great Kiva. Chimney Rock s high, remote and has significant astronomical alignments. Multi-storied Lowry Pueblo (Canyons of the Ancients) s isolated and quiet with good facilities. Yucca House is a unique site with water in the desert.

Visions of Chimney RockVisions of Chimney Rock: A Photographic Interpretation of the Place and Its People, is edited by Helen L. Richardson.

The introduction by Dr. W. James Judge says, in part, “…Images captured herein, and the accompanying text of this book, offer a comprehensive insight into both the complexity and the mystery of Chimney Rock.”

The text (details) is written for the general adult reader and explores Chimney Rock and its place in Chacoan Culture. The book is 130 pages, 6″x9″ paperback, with 25 illustrations and 150 mostly full-color photos for $9.95 plus shipping and handling. Click on the Paypal “Buy Now” button below or use the Mail-in Order Form to purchase an autographed copy of our print version of a virtual tour of Chimney Rock National Monument. The Visions book is also available at the Chimney Rock National Monument Visitor Cabin, which has other souvenir items, educational material, and Native American arts and crafts for sale.

Moon TracksMoon Tracks-Lunar Horizon Patterns

by Ron Sutcliffe

MoonTracks will help you understand what the archaeoastronomers are talking about and what is happening with the Sun and Moon on the horizon. Approached from the naked-eye perspective with text and illustrations by the author, from simple observations to astronomic orbital dynamics. A wonderful guide to comprehend the patterns we see with insights into how ancient astronomers may have used this knowledge.

Images of America - Chimney Rock National Monument Images of America – Chimney Rock National Monument

By Amron Gravette and Christine Robinette

The appreciation of the Chimney Rock region goes back more than 1,000 years. Here in southwestern Colorado, the Ancestral Puebloans inhabited the northern San Juan River Basin as an outlier community of Chaco Canyon. Its function and use has created much conjecture. The site was abandoned by the early 1100s for reasons that some speculate were related to drought, resource depletion, warfare, migration, or a combination of these factors. Over the course of its recorded history, archaeologists, astronomers, regional historians, and visitors have celebrated the rocks, ruins, and landscape that make up this important feature in the Four Corners region. It has been called La Piedra Parada by Spanish explorers, Fire Mountain by Tewa-speaking pueblos, and Tupiwiniri by the Utes. Today, we know it as Chimney Rock National Monument due to a proclamation made in 2012 by Pres. Barack Obama.