[[File:ISS-64 Chuska Mountains, New Mexico.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Chuska Valley]] to the right (east) of the [[Chuska Mountains]] (vertical, center) as seen from the [[ISS]] in [[2020]].]]

The '''Chuska Valley''' is a geographical region located in the northwestern portion of the [[United States|U.S.]] state of [[New Mexico]]. Although identified as a "valley" in archaeological literature, the region encompasses the eastern slope of the [[Chuska Mountains]], situated in their [[rain shadow]].<ref name="vierra_2014_nmdotbridging" /> Sitting atop the [[Colorado Plateau]] in the [[Four Corners]] region of the desert [[Southwestern United States|Southwest]], it is near both [[Chacra Mesa]] and [[Chaco Canyon]], which are noted for their [[Chacoan civilization|Chacoan]] [[Anasazi]] ruins. The Chaco Slope is differentiated from the neighboring [[Gobernador Slope]], [[Chaco Core]], and [[Chaco Plateau]] by distinct surface water drainage patterns and geological formations. These regions were first labelled by archaeologist [[Gwinn Vivian]].<ref name="Fagan_2005_45-46">{{harvnb|Fagan|2005|pp=45–46}}.</ref>

== Citations ==
{{Citation
 | last1       = Fagan
 | given1      = B
 | year        = 2005
 | title       = Chaco Canyon: Archaeologists Explore the Lives of an Ancient Society
 | publisher   = Oxford University Press
 | isbn        = 0-19-517043-1
}}

== References ==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="vierra_2014_nmdotbridging">{{cite book
 |last1        = Vierra
 |first1       = Bradley J
 |last2        = Graves
 |first2       = William M
 |title        = Bridging the basin: Land use and social history in the southern Chuska Valley
 |year         = 2014
 |publisher    = Statistical Research, Inc
 |volume       = 4
 |chapter      = Movement, persistence and identity in the Southern Chuska Valley
 |quote        = Most of the &lbrack;Chuska&rbrack; valley is situated along the eastern slope of the Chuska Mountains, within their rain shadow.
 |url          = https://www.dot.nm.gov/infrastructure/program-management/environmental-bureau-publications/cultural-resource-technical-series/
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20230728014631/https://realfilef260a66b364d453e91ff9b3fedd494dc.s3.amazonaws.com/0abf4924-7123-4251-9b1c-7472af585e61?AWSAccessKeyId=AKIAJBKPT2UF7EZ6B7YA&Expires=1690510591&Signature=zb0eWovhxyASnqXuS6y%2FwNAm%2BbE%3D&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3D%22Bridging%20the%20Basin%20Land%20Use%20and%20Social%20History%20in%20Southern%20Chuska%20Valley%20-%20Report%20Vol.%20IV.pdf%22&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf
 |archive-date = 2023-07-28
 |url-status   = live
 |oclc         = 880909621
}}</ref>

}}

{{Coord|36.2|-108.7|display=title}}

[[Category:Colorado Plateau]]
[[Category:Valleys of New Mexico]]
[[Category:Landforms of San Juan County, New Mexico]]


{{NewMexico-geo-stub}}