Hiking in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument

Located in Canyons of the Ancients National Monument a dozen miles west of Cortez, CO the Sand Canyon Trail accesses an array of small ruins deserted by the Ancestral Puebloans centuries ago. It’s a combined-use trail with hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders welcome. Color-coded diamonds mark the route and “You Are Here” signs display maps at trail junctions.

The remains of Castle Rock Pueblo lie near the trailhead. A millennium ago, ancestral farmers lived here, their crops watered by McElmo Creek. Away from the riparian zone, the land is high desert cloaked with piñon and juniper. To the south rises Sleeping Ute Mountain, its dark mass towering above the flats. Sandstone bluffs begin to line the trail with the dry bed of Sand Creek twisting through a chasm below.

About a mile in, the trail reaches Saddlehorn Pueblo. This mud-mortared rock structure sits in an alcove topped with what a myopic cowboy might think was a giant sandstone saddlehorn. A well-marked spur trail leads to the base of the ruin allowing a much appreciated up-close and personal examination of the structure.

Six more named ruins follow, each bearing a descriptive but unimaginative moniker. Structures at Double Cliff House occupy twin ledges in an alcove. Next comes Corncob House, where archaeologists unearthed 700-year-old corncobs. A pair of standing structures remain at Sunny Alcove, which once held eight rooms and a kiva.

Read full story…

 

The following are paid links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.