Anasazi Heritage Center
(Dolores, CO) [ruins *; museum ***]

Principal Ruins: Dominguez ruin (3 rooms and kiva), Escalante ruin (20 rooms and kiva)

Access: off Hwy 184 west of Dolores,CO. Escalante ruin is about 1/2 mile away from Heritage Center.

Information: Museum/Vistor Center; Contact Bureau of Land Management, Anasazi Heritage Center, 27501 Highway 184, Dolores, CO 81323. Phone 970-882-4811.

World Wide Web Links:
Mesa Verde Country
Bureau of Land Management

Chimney Rock Archaeological Area
{Anasazi} (sw of Pagosa Springs, CO) [**]

Principal Ruins: Great House, Guardhouse, Great Kiva (and many other structures scattered over the area).

Access: 3 miles south of U.S. Hwy 160 on Colorado highway 151 (20 miles southwest of Pagosa Springs). Only available via guided tours. Open May 15 to September 30.

Information: Phone 970-264-2268.

World Wide Web Links:
Great Outdoor Recreation Pages (GORP)

Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
{Anasazi} (near Cortez, CO) [NPE]

Principal Ruins: Sand Canyon pueblo and others

Access: 2 miles n of Cortez on Hwy 666 then 1.3 mi w on Road L then 1.4 miles s on Country Road 23. Day programs(9am-4pm) allow hand-on activities. Day programs require reservations. Other programs available, but they're not set up to handle day visitors.

Information: Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, 23390 County Road K, Cortez, CO 81321. Phone 970-565-8975 or 1-800-422-8975.

World Wide Web Links:
Mesa Verde Country

Hovenweep National Monument

Part of Hovenweep National Monument is in Colorado, but only dirt road access is available from Colorado (2 routes of about 25 miles each). See under Hovenweep under Utah
.

Lowry Ruins
{Anasazi} [*]

Principal Ruins: Lowry ruin (35-room, 2 kiva pueblo) and great kiva, occupied from around 1060 through 1200 A.D.

Access: 9 miles west of Pleasant View (dirt road).

Information: Area Manager, Bureau of Land Management, San Juan Resource Area, 701 Camino del Rio, Durango, CO 81301. Phone 970-247-4082

World Wide Web Links:
Mesa Verde Country

Mesa Verde National Park
{Anasazi} [*****]

Principal Ruins: several cliff dwellings (Cliff Palace, Sunset House, Balcony House, Spruce Tree House, Step House, Long House), several pueblo ruins, and some ancient pit house excavations. Cliff Palace and some of the other cliff dwellings are just incredible.

Access: Most ruins are accessible through self-guided hikes (some are pretty steep), but some ruins are only accessible through ranger-led hikes: Cliff Palace, Balcony House, Long House (Balcony House requires a climb up a 32-foot ladder plus crawling through an ancient crawlspace). Good views can be seen from opposing canyon rims. Bus tours are available May through mid-September.

Information: Far View Visitor's Center and Chapin Mesa Museum. Contact Superintendent, Mesa Verde National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330. Phone 970-529-4461/4475.

World Wide Web Links:
National Park Service
Great Outdoor Recreation Pages (GORP)
Mesa Verde Museum Association
Mesa Verde Country
RATICAL

Ute Mountain Tribal Park
{Anasazi} (south of Mesa Verde NP) [**]

Principal Ruins: Tree House; Lion House; Morris V; Eagle's Nest. Many other unexcavated ruin sites. Also petroglyphs and Ute pictographs.

Access: Tours guided by Ute Mountain Utes are available daily, leaving the Ute Mountain Visitor Center 22 miles south of Cortez on U.S. Hwy 666. Use your own car, but make sure you have a full tank of gas (ruins are 40 miles off the paved roads) and bring lunch and drinking water. (You can ride in the guide's van for a small extra fee.) Day hikes (guided) are also available. Confirmed reservations are required for all tours.

Information: Ute Mountain Tribal Park, Towaoc, CO 81224. Phone 970-565-3751 ext. 282 or 1-800-847-5485.

World Wide Web Links:
Mesa Verde Country