Source-verified campground

Gallo Campground

NM, United States · International Dark Sky Park

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Best use
Moonset windows, route checks, and local light conditions
Planning signal
Verify access first
Route context
4 Stella stays within 350 km

About this place

Overview
Gallo Campground is the only designated camping area within Chaco Culture National Historical Park, an International Dark Sky Park. The National Park Service places it one mile east of the visitor center among the cliffs and fallen boulders of Gallo Wash.
Horizon
The campground sits in Gallo Wash below cliffs; canyon walls and boulders obstruct parts of the low horizon, and the campground has no tree canopy or shade.
Region
NM, United States
Nearest city
~120 km of light pollution

Designation & sky

Type
Dark-Sky Campground
Designation
International Dark Sky Park
Sky quality
Not yet rated
Status
Official National Park Service campground

Access & field notes

Access
Camping is permitted only in designated Gallo Campground sites. Registered campers may remain in the campground after park hours; reservations are recommended, and unreserved sites are released first come, first served through the visitor center. Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., when extra campsite lighting must be turned off.
Seasonal access
Open year-round except six listed holiday nights: the night before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving, December 24-25, December 31, and January 1. Check current park and unpaved-road conditions before travel.
Amenities
26 individual campsites and 2 group sites · Water and flush toilets · Picnic tables and fire grates · Most sites have tent pads · RV dump station · No showers or hookups
Safety
Five sites and the nearby cliff-dwelling trail are permanently closed because rockfall is unpredictable. The campground has no shade, the park is remote, and unpaved approach roads can become difficult or unsafe when wet.

Official links

Verify hours, access, and current conditions before you go.

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