HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT - COLORADO

Today was a beautiful day in Cortez, Colorado with sunny, blue skies and bit warmer temperatures. We took the recommended loop drive around the Canyons of the Ancients to visit Lowry Pueblo, Hovenweep and the Four Corners Monument.

Hovenweep protects some of the finest examples of ancient stone architecture.  The inhabitants were part of the large farming culture that lived in the area from 500 BC until AD 1300.  Their well-preserved stone towers and pueblo-style buildings perch on large boulders and canyon rims.  It's a place of undeveloped natural beauty and solitude.

This kiva was a room used for religious rituals and
political meetings

During our travels today we saw wild horses, included two dead ones, herds of sheep and cattle.  I was amazing by how much open, undeveloped country there is here.

They call this one Hovenweep Castle

Our last stop was a tourist trap but we went anyways.  The native Indian's charge $5 per person to see the Four Corners Memorial and they also want you to spend more money at the local vendors there.

Doing the downward dog in 4 states

Another full day for us and we'll be packing up tomorrow heading to another new adventure.  Thanks for stopping in to say hi.

ANASAZI HERITAGE CENTER - CANYONS OF THE ANCIENTS NATIONAL MONUMENT

First stop for the day was the Anasazi Heritage Center & Canyons of the Ancients National Monument Headquarters.  The Heritage Center, located in Dolores, Colorado, is an archaeological museum of Native American pueblo and hunter-gatherer cultures.  Two 12th-century sites, the Escalante and Dominguez Pueblos, are named for the Spanish Franciscan friars who recorded the ancient sites in 1776.  The exhibits were some of the best we've seen and it's only a small percentage of the 3 million artifacts they have collected.

Heritage Center

Pottery artifacts were beautiful

Photo of the first discoverer's

After our visit to the museum, we drove to Telluride Ski Resort located in Mountain Village, Colorado.  The resort is in the San Juan and Rocky Mountains and is home to the highest concentration of 13,000 and 14,000 foot peaks in North America.  It's bizarre to go from green ranches up the mountain to snow covered mountains and a bit of snow flurries.

We stopped at Steamies Burger Bar and talked to a local ski bum.  We wanted to know why the mountain was closed and he explained it just closed a couple of day ago because the elk migrate at this time of the year and they go across the ski trails.  It was my first taste of a Steamies Burger and it was hot, juicy and delicious.

We haven't seen snow in a long time

Another full day for us and we're glad to be all tucked in at the campground.  Wind is picking up again and the fireplace in keeping us toasty warm.  Thanks for stopping in to say hi.