Visitors planning to explore the Monument should first stop at the Anasazi Heritage Center (10 miles north of Cortez and 3 miles west of Dolores) for orientation and current conditions. |
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (the Monument) in southwestern Colorado contains a huge number of archaeological sites-- more than 6000 recorded so far, and up to 100 per square mile in some places-- representing Ancestral Puebloan and other Native American cultures. The Monument is managed as an integral cultural landscape containing a wealth of historic and environmental resources.
Auto routes through the Monument are few; most roads are unpaved and rough. Most of archaeological sites in this "outdoor museum" are not apparent to the untrained eye and precise locations are not publicized. This is a place to explore on your own.
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