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The Four Corners Monument marks the point where the borders of Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico meet.
Introduction to the Four Corners Monument
The Four Corners Monument is the only place in the United States where four states meet at one point. It also marks the border between Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Reservation.
The borders were drawn in the early 1860s when US Congress was trying to prevent the spread of slavery to the region. The Colorado Territory was carved out of the Utah Territory in 1861, and the Arizona Territory was carved out of the New Mexico Territory in 1863.
New Mexico and Utah already shared a border along the 37th parallel north, which in turn became Colorado’s southern border and Arizona’s northern border. To create the western border of Colorado and eastern border of Arizona, the 107th meridian west was used.
The border between Colorado and New Mexico was surveyed by Ehud N. Darling (1832-1912) in 1868. The following year, Chandler Robbins surveyed the border between Arizona and New Mexico. Robbins placed a sandstone marker at the intersection of his and Darling’s lines in 1875.
In 1878, Rollin J. Reeves (1848-1918) surveyed the Colorado and Utah border. Finally, in 1901, Howard B. Carpenter (1848-1917) surveyed the Arizona and Utah border, officially creating the Four Corners point.
After Robbins’ original sandstone marker had deteriorated, it was replaced in 1931 by a cement pad with a brass disk. A concrete and brass monument was built in 1962, and the site was redesigned in 1992 with a granite and brass marker. A concrete circle contains the seal and flag of each state. The flags of Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe also fly in their respective states.
Visiting the Four Corners Monument
Navajo Nation and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe jointly maintain the monument as a tourist attraction. The access road is in New Mexico. Admission is US$8 per person (as of August 2025), payable with a credit card only.
Once there, you’ll find several souvenir stands and some snack bars. Visitors have the chance to straddle the borders to be in all four states at once. Check the official website for more info.
My Thoughts on the Monument
In my honest opinion, the Four Corners Monument is a total tourist trap and not worth the admission fee. It’s an overpriced and overhyped novelty that seems fun and amusing, but in the end it’s a waste of time and money.
