Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is an archaeologically rich area tucked in the southwestern corner of Colorado. Check it out for your next RV travel and/or hiking adventure base when actively searching for the past.
Post updated May 21, 2023
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Exploring Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Sometimes adventures are short, but they stay with you. Eventually you know you are going to have to go back and spend more time exploring that area. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument on the southwestern corner of Colorado is one of those places.
What’s so special about Canyons of the Ancients?
It’s 174,000 acres of federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The monument is only 10 miles (16 km) west of Cortez, and 12 miles (19 km) west of Mesa Verde National Park.
But best of all – Canyons of the Ancients National Monument contains the highest known archaeological site density in the United States! Some areas have more than 100 sites per square mile.
How do I visit this monument?
Start by dropping into a local visitor centre.
We walk into Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Centre and ask, “where can we go hiking?” (It’s our standard refrain, after all!)
The staff member suggested McElmo Canyon, just southwest of Cortez, Colorado.
“It’s in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, you say?”
Well, that sounds perfect!
Hiking McElmo Canyon
Anasazi cliff dwellings on a bright blue day… okay, I know the term is no longer in vogue and that technically I should be writing Ancestral Puebloan, but I love the way one rolls off my tongue and hate the way the other gets stuck in my craw.
A hiking trail, a bluebird day, and cliff dwellings – who could ask for anything more?
To reach the McElmo Canyon trailhead, we went south from Cortez on Hwy 491 and then headed west towards Hovenweep National Monument. The trailhead was nothing more than a pullout on the road – with a big sign reading: “Canyons of the Ancients.”
There are scattered remnants of ruins right off the parking area on Castle Rock – but proximity to the road has made these targets for vandalism. The resulting piles of rubble are not exactly inspiring.
Hike up the canyon a few miles, however and you’ll see some of the most incredibly perfect cliffside ruins – and you might even see some local wildlife!
So Much to See, So Little Time!
Although it is possible to continue 6.5 miles/10.5 km (one way) to Sand Canyon Pueblo, we opted for a shorter return hike.
Next time we’ll take more time and go further afield. There are over 8,300 recorded Ancestral Puebloan (previously known as Anasazi) sites – from villages to check dams and reservoirs, great kivas to cliff dwellings. Who knew that Canyons of the Ancients was this incredible?
Gotta go – there’s so much left to explore!
When You Go
If you love the Four Corners area and its prehistory, stop in at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in Blanding. It provides the perfect knowledge base about past cultures in the region.
For the love of dogs! Yes, leashed pets are allowed on the trails at Canyon of the Ancients. Just remember to keep them out of any ruins.
For more information about Canyons of the Ancients, visit the Bureau of Land Management website.
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