850-1250 A.D.

The first people to inhabit this region, the Anasazi, or "Ancient Ones", resided in communities from 850 - 1200 A.D. Chaco Canyon served as a major urban center of ancestral Puebloan culture. Thousands congregated around the area to trade and hold ceremonies. Various ruins located at Chaco Canyon National Historical Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Aztec Ruins National Park, Salmon Ruins & Heritage Park, and Canyon de Chelly can still be explored today.