Autumnal Equinox Sunrise Tour

PROGRAM DETAILS

The Autumnal Equinox Tour is offered only once a season at Chimney Rock National Monument. The 2025 event will occur on Monday, September 22. Come to this special place and watch the sun rise over the San Juan Mountains this first morning of fall. With a 360-degree vantage point and the hush of early morning in the wilderness, the rising sun witnessed from the Great House Pueblo is a most unique experience. Such celestial events were of utmost importance to the Ancient Ones, and we will discuss the significance the equinox played in the lives of the Ancestral Puebloans.
It is a 3-mile drive to the trailhead and a 30 to 45-minute uphill hike to the Great House Pueblo. The hike may be difficult for some due to the steep gradient, uneven footing, and elevation ending at 7600 feet. The elevation gain is 200 feet. Participants should be in reasonable physical condition and willing to hike mostly uphill for 1/3 mile (and return steeply downhill). At the end of the trail, visitors will be rewarded with a panoramic view from atop the mesa ridge. They will also enjoy the closest view possible from the two pinnacles: Chimney Rock and Companion Rock. Bring a good flashlight and dress appropriately. Sunrise is at 6:45 a.m., with the return hike down the trail taking place in the daylight.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

It is a 3-mile drive to the trailhead and a 30 to 45-minute uphill hike to the Great House Pueblo in pre-dawn darkness. The hike may be difficult for some due to the steep gradient, uneven footing, and elevation ending at 7600 feet. The elevation gain is 200 feet. Participants should be in reasonable physical condition and willing to hike mostly uphill for 1/3 mile (and return steeply downhill). At the end of the trail, visitors will be rewarded with a panoramic view from atop the mesa ridge. They will also enjoy the closest view possible from the two pinnacles: Chimney Rock and Companion Rock. Bring a good flashlight and dress appropriately. Sunrise is at 7:00 am, with the return hike down the trail taking place in daylight.

Check-in is at the Highway 151 entrance gate at the time stated below for each tour. Please adhere to the check-in timeline. The gate will be locked at the end of that time. Please note that the tour will begin promptly at the end of the check-in period, so it will not be possible to accommodate late arrivals. The fee is $20.00 for ages 13 and up, $10.00 for ages 5-12, and under 5 are free, and is considered a non-refundable and non-transferable donation. Making a reservation through the Recreation.gov website or the call center (877-444-6777) is the only way to guarantee a spot for this tour. Recreation.gov charges a $1.00 reservation fee that is non-refundable. To ensure this tour is scheduled, reservations are strongly recommended.
Reservations will be cut off 12 hours prior to the start of the tour.

This program is rarely at full capacity prior to the event, and we will accommodate walk-ins if space is available. They will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, and must arrive during the specified check-in time frame. Tour tickets can be purchased directly from the guide with cash only. Note: if no one has signed up for the tour by online reservation within the allotted time frame, the tour will not run. In such a case, walk-ins will not be possible. Refunds will be issued only for cancelled – not modified – tours/programs. No refunds will be issued for no-shows.

Date:

Monday, September 22
Check-in: 5:00 a.m. – 5:30 a.m.
Tour: 5:30 a.m. – 7:30 a.m.
Capacity: 25

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