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Canyons of the Ancients National Monument consists of over 176,000 acres of federal land protecting nearly 6,400 archaeological sites in southwest Colorado. The monument, which was created on June 9, 2000, has the highest archaeological density of any region in the United States and encompasses a few sections of Hovenweep National Monument.
Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum
The best place to start a visit to the monument is at the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum near the town of Dolores. Adult admission is US$7 per person (as of September 2023) or free for holders of any interagency pass. Children 16 and under are free. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from March through November, and Wednesday through Saturday the rest of the year.
The museum contains excellent interactive exhibits. Displays include pottery, stone tools, and other artifacts excavated from archaeological sites in the monument .
One of the highlights is a replica pithouse showing how a typical Puebloan household would have been furnished. Two short films are also available to watch.
Dominguez Pueblo
Just outside the museum is the small Dominguez Pueblo, which was made up of four rooms and housed one or two families. It was built around 1123.
Escalante Pueblo
The short Escalante Trail starts at the visitor center and takes hikers up a ½ mile paved trail to the top of a hill. At the top are the ruins of the Escalante Pueblo, which was built in the middle of the 12th century.
There are also fantastic views of the region, including the McPhee Reservoir.
Lowry Pueblo
As far as archaeological sites to visit, there are three major sites: Lowry Pueblo, Sand Canyon Pueblo, and Painted Hand Pueblo. All three sites have free admission. We visited Lowry Pueblo, which is the most developed for visitors. It includes several excellent interpretive panels and a picnic area.
Lowry Pueblo was built around 1060 and was inhabited for about 165 years. It was excavated between 1930 and 1936.
The original pueblo consisted of four rooms and a kiva, and was expanded to over 40 rooms and four kivas.
A short path leads to the great kiva, which was used for ceremonies and as a community center. The stone features on the floor have been interpreted as winter people and summer people.
