Parks around Cortez

Through a continuing tradition of public and private cooperation, Yucca House National Monument preserves one of the largest archeological sites in SW Colorado. The unexcavated nature of the site preserves its integrity and beauty for future generations of scientists and visitors. Experience a sense of discovery by visiting a site that has remained largely untouched for the past 800 years!

The Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is located in southwest Colorado. Elevations within the monument range from about 4,900 feet to about 7,500 feet above sea level. The outer boundaries of the area encompass approximately 183,000 acres of land, approximately 164,000 acres of which are in federal ownership and managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Containing the highest ...

This ancient Indian village in the heart of Utah's canyon country was one of the largest Anasazi communities west of the Colorado River. The site is believed to have been occupied from A.D. 1050 to 1200. The village remains largely unexcavated, but many artifacts have been uncovered and are on display in the newly remodeled museum. Anasazi State Park is in the picturesque town of Boulder on State ...

Located west of Dolores, Colorado, on Colorado Highway 184. This BLM museum interprets the history and culture of the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Trail of the Ancients, and the Four Corners region. A pathway from the Center leads to the Dominguez and Escalante Pueblos, two prehistoric dwellings dating to the 1100's A.D.

Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over 700 years, from A.D. 600 to 1300. Today the park protects nearly 5,000 known archeological sites, including 600 cliff dwellings. These sites are some of the most notable and best preserved in the United States.

Once home to over 2,500 people, Hovenweep includes six prehistoric villages built between A.D. 1200 and 1300. Explore a variety of structures, including multistory towers perched on canyon rims and balanced on boulders. The construction and attention to detail will leave you marveling at the skill and motivation of the builders.

Visit a 1,000-year-old ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) ruin, which includes a 40-room village. The Lowry Pueblo site was first excavated in 1931 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1967. It is one of the most significant BLM archaeological sites in the Four Corners region, where Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona meet.

The Mesa Verde Wilderness now contains a total of 8,500 acres and is managed by the National Park Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Colorado. In 1976 the Mesa Verde Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age o...

Recreation at Jackson Gulch Reservoir (Mancos State Park) is managed by the Colorado Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation, Western Colorado Area Office - Southern Division, Durango, Colorado. Jackson Gulch Dam was completed in 1950 and is the principal feature of the Mancos Project in southwestern Colorado. An inlet canal from the West Mancos Riv...

Explore the long and intriguing occupation of the Four Corners region by Native American peoples. Travel through the archaeological heartland of America while crossing the beautiful and diverse landscapes of the Colorado Plateau. World-renowned Mesa Verde National Park, Monument Valley Tribal Park, and Four Corners Monument are highlights on the trail.

Walk through time in the vivid deserts of southeastern Utah. The byway is dotted with ancient Native American remnants and natural attractions. Visit vast Monument Valley, the gentle San Juan River, and Pueblo Indian ruins. All creatures from chipmunks to bighorn sheep have their place in the desert's delicate ecosystem.

The approximately 27,400 acres of public land within the Glade Run Trail System encompass a wide variety of topography, from rolling hills to sandy arroyo bottoms to sandstone slickrock. Vegetation is sparse, primarily consisting of common grasses, rabbitbrush, sagebrush, and juniper and piñon. The area is widely used by a diverse range of recreationists. There are 42 miles of marked trails for m...

The Lizard Head Wilderness now contains a total of 41,309 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Colorado. In 1980 the Lizard Head Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of "....

Over 800 acres of fun is waiting for off-road enthusiasts at the Dunes Vehicle Recreation Area south of Farmington. The off-highway vehicle area contains a wide variety of topography including large sand dunes, steep to gentle hillsides, and sandy arroyo bottoms. Innumerable roads and trails exist in the Dunes, created by nearly 40 years of off-road vehicle use. The diverse landscape attracts a va...

Off-road vehicle users in the 4 Corners area love sites like this.

Pueblo people describe this site as part of their migration journey. Today you can follow their ancient passageways to a distant time. Explore a 900-year old ancestral Pueblo Great House of over 400 masonry rooms. Look up and see original timbers holding up the roof. Search for the fingerprints of ancient workers in the mortar. Listen for an echo of ritual drums in the reconstructed Great Kiva.

The San Juan National Forest includes approximately 1.8 million acres of federal lands administered by the U.S. Forest Service in Southwestern Colorado. The scenery ranges from high desert mesas and canyons to high alpine peaks and meadows. The area features a National Forest scenic byway, the San Juan Skyway and a Bureau of Land Management 4WD scenic byway, Alpine Loop Backcountry Byway.Visitors ...

Mule Canyon Ruin is a classic ancestral Puebloan (previously called Anasazi) archaeological site that has been stabilized and interpreted for the public. The site, displaying a kiva, small tower, and a room block, provides a close-up, convenient and casual view into the past without the crowds associated with some of the more prominent Four Corners ruins and monuments.

The San Miguel River corridor is a fragile ecosystem containing outstanding riparian, recreational, scenic, and wildlife values. A scenic drive along the corridor provides beautiful views, several access points to the river and a BLM campground along the way.

Vallecito Dam and Reservoir was completed in 1941 and is the principal feature of the Pine River Project in southwest Colorado. Located on the Pine River in the San Juan National Forest, about 18 miles northeast of Durango, Colorado, the reservoir has a maximum surface area of 2,720 acres. An additional 961 acres of lands are available for recreation.Recreation management at Vallecito (excluding ...

The Mount Sneffels Wilderness now contains a total of 16,566 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Colorado. In 1980 the Mount Sneffels Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age...

The Grand Gulch/Cedar Mesa Plateau is a unique area for exploring. This is a place where cultural resources are found in primitive and wilderness-like settings. Most canyons and cultural sites can only be reached by hiking or backpacking.

Canyon Rims Recreation Area includes 100,273 acres south of Moab. Two campgrounds and four overlooks are within the Recreation Area, as well as the Trough Springs Hiking trailhead. Major activities include hiking, backpacking, and sightseeing. The primary roads within Canyon Rims, which were constructed by the BLM and include several scenic turnouts, are Utah Scenic Backways. Please visit the M...

Simon Canyon Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) is about 3,900 acres in size and is managed for semi-primitive forms of recreation including fishing, hiking, and backpacking. Development at the mouth of the canyon is minimal (with a parking lot, picnic table, and toilet) and provides the visitor an alternative to the more highly developed state park sites located nearby. The sandston...

Three majestic natural bridges invite you to ponder the power of water in a landscape usually defined by its absence. View them from an overlook, or hit the trails and experience their grandeur from below. Declared a National Monument in 1908, the bridges are named "Kachina," "Owachomo" and "Sipapu" in honor of the Native Americans that once made this area their home.