Trail of the Ancients - Colorado

Trail of the Ancients - Colorado

Parks Directory of the United States / National Scenic Byways

Address: c/o Anasazi Heritage Center
27501 Highway 184
Dolores, CO 81323
Phone: 970-882-4811;
Web: www.coloradobyways.org Description: The Trail provides access to numerous examples of Ancestral Puebloan culture and other aspects of the Four Corners history and culture. Areas of interest along the Colorado section of the byway include Mesa Verde National Park, Anasazi Heritage Center, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (including Lowry Pueblo), and Hovenweep National Monument.
Legth: 112 miles (Colorado section); 480 miles (entire byway). Start/Endpoint: The Trail of the Ancients is a loop route in Colorado and Utah that may be started at any point along its length. From Mesa Verde National Park it runs west on US 160 toward Cortez and the junction with SR 145. In a counterclockwise direction, it then includes portions of SR 145, SR 184, US 491, county roads and spur routes, and MC Road 10 to Hovenweep National Monument at the Colorado-Utah state line. Completing the Colorado portion of the byway, from Cortez, the route runs south on US 491, then west on US 160 to Four Corners Monument. Time to Allow: 3 hours (Colorado section); 9 hours including backtracking (entire byway). Designation/Year: National Scenic Byway (2005).

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