Chaco Great House Outliers

While Chacoan Culture was centered within the canyon with its spectacular great houses and dense concentration of monumental architecture, Chacoan influence extended much further, throughout the San Juan Basin and beyond. Great house communities, also known as outliers, are one of the most important sources of information helping to answer questions about the Chaco Culture. These communities exhibit a series of features that archaeologists believe associate them with the Chaco phenomenon (e.g., monumental masonry great houses, subterranean great kivas, and a distinctive array of ceramics and exchange goods).

Four outliers within the Chaco Culture National Historical Park system are:

Kin Klizhin ("black house")

Famous for its impressive tower kiva. It is located along a wash that empties into the Chaco River just west of the park boundary.

➠ More Information and Photos

⇩ Park Brochure (PDF, 187 KB)

Pueblo Pintado ("painted town")

Perched on an impressive promontory overlooking the Chaco Wash 15 miles upstream from the main park units.

➠ More Information and Photos

⇩ Park Brochure (PDF, 144 KB)

Kin Bineola ("house in which the wind whirls")

CLOSED - No public access.

Kin Ya'a ("towering house")

CLOSED - No public access.

➠ Return to Chaco Culture National Park

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In addition to the outliers included within the park, there are several other outlying great houses that are open to the public. Some of these are at other National Park Service units, while others are owned and protected by other entities.