Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
Covering over 176,000 acres, Canyons of the Ancients National Monument (CANM) protects the highest concentration of cultural sites in the United States. Created on June 9, 2000 through Presidential proclamation, CANM is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and its headquarters are located in Dolores, CO at Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum. The number of cultural sites is estimated to be as high as 30,000, and through the years over 8,400 of these sites have been recorded by archaeologists and 13 of these sites have been stabilized and preserved for visitation.
Native American ancestral sites within the monument hold important information about how the indigenous peoples of the Four Corners region interacted with the environment, and with each other, over many centuries. The ancestral sites, plants, animals, and landforms in the monument are part of tribal cultural landscapes that are maintained through on-going cultural beliefs
and practices. The BLM consults with 26 Tribes and Pueblos who have cultural and historical associations with the landscape. Tribal traditions, histories, geography, and languages supplement archaeological evidence, and help us understand the connections between past peoples and present-day tribal communities in the southwestern United States.
Stop by the Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center and Museum to learn more about the Tribes and Pueblos who have called this landscape home since time immemorial and for orientation to public sites, maps, and current conditions of the monument or call 970-882-5600 for more information. Throughout the year, the museum features special exhibits, events, cultural demonstrations, and lectures open to the public. This museum is family-friendly, wheelchair accessible, and offers audio-captioned visuals, public restrooms, and bus parking. Tribal members, youth 16 and under, and individuals with an America the Beautiful Pass gets in free.
Did you know? Canyons of the Ancients is part of the Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway!
Sand Canyon-Rock Creek SRMA – Hiking, Biking, & Horseback Riding
Within the Sand Canyon-Rock Creek Special Resource Management Area (SRMA), hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, or possessing horses or other pack animals are restricted to designated routes open to such use by a BLM sign, map, or the appropriate travel management plan. Hiking and horseback riding are allowed both on and off designated travel routes throughout the remainder of the Monument.
Grab a map & Know Before You go:
- Motorized and mechanized travel are restricted to designated routes – Maps can be downloaded from CANMs website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/colorado/canyons-of-the-ancients or picked up at the Visitor Center & Museum.
- Target shooting is not allowed anywhere within the Monument.
- Camping and campfires are allowed on the Monument as long as they are 300 feet from riparian areas and cultural sites. Campfires require a fire pan if fire rings are not provided.
- Collecting cultural artifacts, fossils of any kind, rocks or other mineral specimens, and petrified wood without a permit are not allowed.
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Wood cutting and collection of live, dead, or downed wood are not allowed.
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Pets that are leashed or under voice control are allowed.
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Bring your own food and water. Cell service and restrooms are only available in some areas.
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Please report vandalism or damage to historic or archaeological sites to the Tres Rios Field Office and Canyons of the Ancients Law Enforcement Tip Line: 833-660-5771 (toll free), TRFOtipline@blm.gov.
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For general questions and site information, call 970-882-5600.
Canyons of the Ancient National Monument & Museum
Canyons of the Ancients Visitor Center & Museum
27501 Hwy 184
Dolores, CO 81322
970-882-5600
CANM National Monument Website: https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/colorado/canyons-of-the-ancients
CANM Visitor Center & Museum Website: https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/CANM-visitor-center-museum.
Getting There
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
9651 Rd N, Cortez, CO (970) 882-5600
The Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is accessible from various points along the Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway. Most Roads in the monument are primitive and unpaved.
Access points in Colorado to the National Monument are available in Cortez, Dove Creek, Cahone, Pleasent View and Yellow Jacket. Access points in Utah are available in Bluff, Blanding, Montezuma Creek and Anetha.
Commercial Tour Group Operators and Organized Groups
- Please call 970-882-5600 to schedule your visit at least one month in advance. Museum admission is $7 per person. Tours visiting the National Monument are required to obtain a special recreation permit. School groups can email: info@sjma.org to schedule their field trip to the Museum.
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