Location: 27 miles northwest of Cortez, Colorado.

Description: Lowry Pueblo is a part of Canyons of the Ancients National Monument. Named after early homesteader George Lowry, it was constructed about AD 1060 on top of abandoned pithouses from an earlier period of occupation. The inhabitants were farmers who also hunted small game, made elaborately decorated pottery, and wove cotton obtained by trade.

Lowry was home to about 100 people. Many rooms were probably plastered inside and painted with bold geometric designs. Initial excavations in the 1930s revealed a kiva with a well-preserved decorative mural, and the kiva was backfilled to preserve it. After re-excavation in 1974, the mural began to discolor and peel away due to exposure to light and air. None of it survives today, except for a salvaged fragment at the Anasazi Heritage Center. Current technology cannot preserve such murals in situ except by reburial.

Lowry Pueblo was excavated during summer field seasons (1930-1936) by Paul S. Martin of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1967.

Directions: From Cortez, travel about 18 miles north on U.S. Highway 491 to the “Pleasant View and Lowry” sign at County Road CC. Turn west and follow the signs for about 9 miles.  

Visitor Activities: Self-guided interpretive tour, archaeological site, picnicking, and hiking. 

Special Features: Walls are constructed of double layers of stone blocks, alternating with bands of smaller stones called spalls, enclosing a core of sandstone rubble fill. Like most Puebloan settlements, Lowry includes a number of kivas— round, subterranean rooms for ceremonial and domestic activities. The Lowry site also includes a great kiva. Great kivas are 2-3 times larger than most kivas and seem to have served a different purpose. This one may have been a focal point for surrounding communities. Lowry's architecture and masonry, as well as the presence of the great kiva, indicate that it was one of the northernmost settlements strongly influenced by the Chaco branch of the Puebloan culture, centered about 100 miles to the south in New Mexico. Such Chaco-style communities may have belonged to a vast, interdependent network spread across the Four Corners region.

Permits, Fees, Limitations: No fee. Camping is not allowed at the Lowry site, but dispersed camping allowed in most parts of the Monument.  

Accessibility: Although the parking lot is gravel, the adjoining picnic area and restroom, as well as the 0.25-mile trail to the pueblo ruins, are all wheelchair accessible.  

Camping and Lodging: Camping is not allowed at Lowry Pueblo. Camping and lodging are available in Cortez and Dolores (about 30 miles southeast on State Highway 145).  

Food and Supplies: Food and supplies are available in Cortez and Dolores.  

First Aid: No first aid is available on-site. The nearest hospital is in Cortez. First aid and a phone are available in Pleasant View (18 miles north of Cortez on U.S. Highway 666).  

Additional Information: A salvaged mural fragment from Lowry Pueblo is displayed at BLM’s Anasazi Heritage Center, located about 26 miles away on State Highway 184, 3 miles west of Dolores. In 2004 Lowry Pueblo received a new shelter structure to protect the most delicate part of the main building from the elements.

Contact Information:
BLM - Canyons of the Ancients National Monument/ Anasazi Heritage Center
27501 Highway 184 Dolores, CO 81323
Tel: (970) 882-5600 Fax: (970) 882-7035