Chimney Rock National Monument Apr 2026

The following paper provides a comprehensive overview of Chimney Rock National Monument , covering its establishment, cultural significance, and unique archaeoastronomical features.

Protecting ancient masonry from erosion and freeze-thaw cycles.

Designated a national monument on September 21, 2012, by President Barack Obama , Chimney Rock is a site where natural geology and human architecture merge. The monument is defined by two soaring rock pinnacles—Chimney Rock and Companion Rock—which stand nearly 1,000 feet above the valley floor at an elevation of 7,600 feet . Managed by the U.S. Forest Service , it protects hundreds of ruins dating primarily to the Pueblo II period (900–1150 AD).

The most significant aspect of Chimney Rock is its role as a celestial calendar. The Ancestral Puebloans used the natural framing of the twin pinnacles to track lunar and solar cycles.