Articles

Chimney Rock National Monument has a new Visitor Center! Check it out HERE!

By Ron Sutcliffe The majestic natural stone pillars of the Chimney Rock formation have a unique connection to the major standstill of the moon. Seen from the Great House Pueblo, the stone towers are slightly out of line with each other, framing a narrow window of sky between them. At sunset near the day of [...]

Chimney Rock Interpretive Association (CRIA) is proud to receive the 2021 Travelers' Choice Award which is given to destinations that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of TripAdvisors listings. Thank you to all our visitors who have supported CRIA and Chimney Rock National Monument!  You have helped us [...]

Written by: CRIA Volunteer Shanna Robb  When I moved to Pagosa Springs in late 2019, I knew that I wanted to volunteer at Chimney Rock.  Even though 2020 was a year of unknowns due to the Corona Virus, it didn’t stop me from volunteering or guests from visiting.  Many guests had lived in the Four [...]

Written by: CRIA Volunteer Laura Lunsford  As a history major, I have always had an interest in the people who came before us.  How did they live, what did they eat, what was their culture?  When we moved to Pagosa Springs five years ago, I was excited to learn about the ancient Puebloan culture and [...]

Written by: John Gwin CRIA Volunteer and Former CRIA Board President Are you aware Chimney Rock Interpretive Association (CRIA), a non-profit 501(c)3, pays the Federal Government to be able to run the daily operations and interpretive programs at Chimney Rock National Monument (CRNM) in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service?   Under a special use permit, CRIA owes [...]

Like many other non-profits, Chimney Rock Interpretive Program (CRIA), a non-profit 501 (c)3, which operates the interpretive program at Chimney Rock National Monument, had to make many logistical and financial adjustments at Chimney Rock National Monument in 2020 to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions.  We provided protective gear for our volunteers; we enabled visitors to keep social distance by offering [...]

Chimney Rock Interpretive Association (CRIA) hosts a free Lecture Series five times a year to offer the opportunity for the public and CRIA volunteers to gather and enjoy a speaker whose topic typically relates to southwest archaeology, archaeoastronomy and/or Chacoan culture. Experts in the field travel sometimes from far distances to Pagosa Springs to present [...]

By Lace Stevens, CRIA Volunteer & Board Member It’s that time of year again! Chimney Rock Interpretive Association -- better known as CRIA -- is looking for volunteers. What do volunteers do? Well, we have a variety of positions at Chimney Rock National Monument to choose from. The Cabin Host meets and greets our visitors, [...]

Colorado Gives Day is more than just a day. It’s a movement that inspires and unites thousands of donors to give where they live and support Colorado nonprofits.  Chimney Rock Interpretive Association (CRIA) has joined forces with 70 other non-profits in Southwest Colorado to highlight our region on the statewide giving day of December 10, [...]