“Twin stone pinnacles rising above the Piedra River Valley in southwestern Colorado, flanked by an ancient Chacoan outlier village. High mesa views of the San Juan Mountains. A place of extraordinary cultural weight.”
About This Location
Chimney Rock National Monument in southwestern Colorado, managed by San Juan National Forest, preserves an ancient Chacoan outlier settlement built on a narrow ridge at the base of two dramatic sandstone pinnacles towering above the Piedra River Valley. The Great House ruin is one of the most important archaeological sites in the Southwest, aligned with the major lunar standstill — the twin pinnacles frame the rising moon at its most northernmost point on an 18.6-year cycle. Below the mesa, the Piedra River valley and the San Juan Mountains provide sweeping pastoral mountain-meets-canyon backdrop. Commercial filming requires a USFS permit through the San Juan National Forest office at 970-883-5359. Upper mesa access requires a guided tour. Pagosa Springs (17 miles) offers full production services. A location of rare visual and cultural depth — the architectural ruins perched at the pinnacle base add historical gravitas to the purely geological drama. Best visited May through September.
Color Palette
Location
📍 Open in Google Maps →Permit Information
Permit Required
Type
USFS / BLM Film Permit
Fee
Varies – USFS location fee
Contact
San Juan National Forest / Chimney Rock NM
Contact Permit Office
📞 970-883-5359Managed by the US Forest Service. Guided tours required for upper mesa access. Lower area accessible independently.
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