Canyons of the Ancients National Monument

Please report vandalism or damage to historic or archaeological sites to the Tres Rios Field Office and Canyons of the Ancients Law Enforcement Tip Line: 833-660-5771 (toll free), TRFOtipline@blm.gov. For general questions and site information, call 970-882-5600.

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument ('the Monument') encompasses 174,000 acres of federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management. The Monument is located in the Four Corners region of southwestern Colorado, about 50 miles west of Durango, 10 miles west of Cortez, and 12 miles west of Mesa Verde National Park. The Monument was designated on June 9, 2000 by Presidential Proclamation to protect cultural and natural resources on a landscape scale.

The Monument contains the highest known archaeological site density in the United States, with rich well-preserved evidence of Native American cultures. The archeological record etched into this landscape is much more than isolated islands of architecture. This cultural landscape contains more than 8,300 recorded sites, which reflect physical components of past human life: villages, field houses, check dams, reservoirs, great kivas, cliff dwellings, shrines, sacred springs, agricultural fields, petroglyphs and sweat lodges. Some areas have more than 100 sites per square mile. The number of sites is estimated to be up to 30,000.

This landscape has been used or inhabited by humans, including Ancestral Puebloan cultures, for at least 10,000 years, and continues to be a landscape used by humans today. Contemporary uses of the Monument include recreation, hunting, livestock grazing, and energy development.

Visitors planning to explore the monument should stop first at Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum.

Review these Frequently Asked Questions for more information about what you can do at the Monument. Please call 970-882-5600 for more information.

Camping and campfires are allowed in backcountry areas throughout the Monument but are prohibited in archaeological sites and within 300 feet of water sources (ponds, springs, streams etc.) and developed areas (trails, kiosks, parking areas etc.). Check out the dispersed camping tip sheet for additional information. Also make sure you download the transportation map. Check for local or regional fire restrictions.