canyons of the ancients national monument

Given that we visited Mesa Verde in the winter, most of the park was closed and we were told we should check out Canyon of the Ancients on our way back to Moab. It's definitely an interesting area, but you want to be sure you have a good map as you head out - it's easy to miss some of the interesting things you are probably looking for, especially at the southern end of the trail, and given that several trails intersect at a few points, it's useful to be able to tell where you're going, as we found the trail signage to be a bit lacking in terms of making sure we stayed on the trail we wanted to be on. There are some interesting sites along this trail, with the best one being at the North end. It's six-miles either way along the main, orange trail, so you may want to make it a shuttle, or even just hike to the ruins on whichever end you prefer, then drive around to the other end and do the same. That was what we did due to time constraints and we found it to be a nice pair of jaunts. Be sure to take plenty of water; this area is full-sun, which will be brutal in the summer.

This was a stellar hike and such an adventure finding the ruins scattered all about. From the very beginning we saw snow capped mountains in the background and as we hiked along saw beauty everywhere. We happened to be in a canyon (as the name of the place implies). All of a sudden we started seeing the ancient human structures. It was very exciting for me and my 22 year old daughter. The giant boulders just gave it such a wonderful atmosphere.

This is a wonderful monument to visit. I found the web resources on the monument a bit confusing though. It is actually a collection of site spread out over a large area of canyon which are accessible by different roads. So it takes a bit of planning. Also the Anasazi Heritage Museum in Delores, CO is the Visitor Center for the monument and it is worth spending some time and talking with attendants for guidance on trails and different sites. For me the highlight was Lowry Pueblo which has the most well preserved kiva I have seen, They have a modern steel roof over the site for protection and you actually can step into the ruins and down some steps to see a large kiva. It was fascinating. The also have one of the largest kivas, about 50 ft across, I have seen, which evidently predates the other ruins by several hundred years. This kiva also has large figures laid out in stone in the floor. Very impressive. We did several of the loop hikes in the Sand Canyon area and saw numerous ruins though none of the scale of Lowry Pueblo. Lastly the Sand Canyon Pueblo was a bit of a surprise. It has note been excavated so really kind of looks like a bunch of piled stones with different bushes and trees growing through them. It is a very large site but it does take some imagination to fully see the structures. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the monument and hope to return soon.

Formerly known as Sand Canyon, but now incorporated into Canyon of the Ancients Monument. Bring good hiking boots, and enough water for a day trek. Canyon is 9 miles long, and there's a loo[ trail as well. This was my 4th trip in 10 years, and its always been a peaceful, scenic solitary experience. You'll see many remains of alcove houses daring back to the pueblo 3 era. Up close and personal. you can feel the energy. I've seen signs of mountain lion around some of the ancient structures, so don't bring any small dogs along for the trip. Great views and a chance to feel and imagine the lives of the ancestral people who inhabited the area. Be respectful, leave no trace, remove nothing. Truly an earthy and spiritual experience.

There is a very nice visitor center here that is worth stopping at before you go, it gives you a lot of insight toward the park.

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, remains one of the more quiet & open wilderness places in the 4 Corners Area, not requiring an admission fee or a guide. Mapping & marking of trails are accurate & easy to follow. There is plenty of room for strolling, hiking, biking, equestrian, without bumping into each-others. Visitors are respectful of the artifacts & keeping the area clean of litter. As the area is lower in elevation & precipitation, this becomes a great option in colder months. Bring lots of water & consider stopping by one of the local wineries after your time at the Monument.

saw many cave dwellings along the canyon hike. the elevation climb was not bad at all. We will come back to do the other hikes.

Canyons of the Ancients is easy to pass by in doing the parks in the Four Corners area, but well worth a visit. In fact, to gain a good understanding of the ancient pueblo culture and the history of the region, the Anasazi Heritage Center in Dolores, CO, should be your first stop before going to either Hovenweep or Mesa Verde; it is an excellent archaeological museum. (I say this because we drove right by it going to Mesa Verde and being somewhat disappointed in the museum there.) In the monument, you pass through farmland on the way to some sites, and at Hovenweep there are some good trails. If you are short on time, one runs around the canyon rim and affords excellent view of numerous ruins. No question, Mesa Verde is impressive, but Canyons of the Ancients, I think, gives you more of an appreciation of the culture and allows a closer view of what they left behind.

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (managed by the BLM instead of the National Park Service): the visitor center and museum is in Dolores, CO a few miles north of Cortez, NM and Mesa Verde National Park. I was on the way to Hovenweep NM, but this was here along the way. I toured Lowry Ruins at sunrise deep in Colorado farm country, then I stopped at Painted Hand after one mile on a bumpy dirt road and a 1/4 mile hike to see the cylindrical tower ruin before continuing on to Hovenweep.

If you are even remotely interested in the Ancestral Pueblo Culture (aka "Anasazi") you should visit the museum. It has great displays of the some of the artifacts (especially pottery) from the many Ancestral Pueblo Culture sites in the area. The entrance fee is only $3 and is well worth it

we took in all the ruins in the four corners area that day mesa verda, hovenweep, this ,and 4 corners monuments maybe this would hav been better but I think we just got tired n burn out onall this.

The Canyons are beautiful to look at. You start to think about the natives that once lived in the area. It is amazing how nature and the canyons go hand in hand and what it must have been like for the native people to live in such an area.

We had just spent several days at Mesa Verde National Park and on this day were looking more for a hike than history. The Sand Canyon trail was perfect. We couldn't put a car at each end of the trail, but looking at maps showed that by starting at the south end of the trail, we could make a nice loop hike. The south trail head is located 12 miles west of Cortez, CO. on county road G. The parking lot is unpaved but the trail head marker helps identify that you are in the right place. Hiking, biking and horseback riding are all permitted in the monument. However, while foot traffic is always allowed, biking and horseback riding are restricted to specific trails on the south side of the monument. There are no fees, Rangers or amenities at the monument. We walked the very beautiful 6.4 mile Sand Canyon Loop. We only met two other couples in the monument on the Labor Day Holiday. If you are looking for solitude, this appears to be the place. There are several spur trails along the way that take you closer to various ruins. The ruins are tucked up in cliffs. These are usually low walls of past dwellings. The trail provides opportunities to overlook the depths of the canyon. At this time of the year there is less water in the canyon but the erosion indicates that in the past, and perhaps each Spring, the water really boils. Hiking in this beautiful area can easily cause ones imagination to wander to a time long ago when the area was filled with people going about their daily activities. We highly recommend the hike.

Didn't have enough time to spend here but a definite must on a return trip. We would like to hike a couple of the trails and see more of that area.

We spend a couple of hours here and watched the two short videos. Great introduction the the history of the area and the Ancient Pueblos who lived in the area. There was a walking trail that we did not take as we had a time issue. I recommend visiting to get a feel for how the artifacts are found and preserved.