If you are in the Four Corners region, you’re going to have many opportunities to visit ruins of the Ancestral Puebloans. Mesa Verde, Hovenweep, and the Canyons of the Ancients all preserve the remnants of the homes of the people who lived in the region for around 600 years, from about 750 AD till about 1300 AD. To visit Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, stop by the visitor center (about 10 miles north of Cortez and 3 miles west of Dolores) and pick up a map. It will help you organize your visit. We devoted two days to the monument and I describe our trip below. Those tips will guide you in how to best explore Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.
How to best explore Canyons of the Ancients? What's there to see?
1. Lowery Pueblo
Lowery Pueblo was our first destination. The drive was easy and the roads were well marked. The site is small but shows remnants of a pueblo with multiple rooms and kivas, which were used for spiritual ceremonies. It also has a Great Kiva, which served as a ceremonial place. There are picnic tables and restrooms at the site.
2. Painted Hand Pueblo
Once we finished touring Lowery Pueblo, we followed the map and headed to Painted Hand Pueblo. I must warn you, though, that the gravel road is really rough once you get off Country Road 10. Also, the site is not well marked, so be on a lookout for a little kiosk before you turn onto the gravel road.
Painted Hand Pueblo shows remnants of a tower overlooking a canyon. It’s a pretty sight and the short hike is very pleasant. We definitely enjoyed the visit.
If you’re already at Painted Hand, you may want to continue driving along CR10 for additional 10 miles to Hovenweep. We certainly did and thought it was a great way to combine both parks. You can read about my visit to Hovenweep here.
3. Sand Canyon Pueblo along Country Road P& N
If you were to skip a section of the park, this, in my opinion, would be the section to skip. This pueblo does not actually show much other than ruins of a wall that used to surround a vibrant and large pueblo. You really need to use your imagination to picture the rooms and the kivas as not much remains any more. There are interpretive signs along the trail but they ask you to rely on your imagination.
4. Sand Canyon Trailhead along Country Road G
This section of the park is incredibly picturesque. The trail takes you through a lovely red rock canyon along which you can see more Ancestral Puebloan ruins. We hiked for about 1 mile each way to see Saddlehorn Pueblo – remnants of a structure inside a beautiful canyon wall. The trail continues for about 6 miles. There isn’t much shade, so start early to avoid the extreme heat if you’re visiting in the summer time.
Where to stay for the night?
You can find accommodation in Dolores and Cortez. There are also several places to camp in the area. We boondocked right outside of Mesa Verde on the BLM land and enjoyed splendid views of the park.
