Trail of the Ancients

Trail of the Ancients is a scenic byway network across Colorado and Utah in the Four Corners, created to connect archaeological sites, Native communities, and the landscapes of the Colorado Plateau. The first National Scenic Byway designated primarily for archaeology, it presents human history stretching from hunters and gatherers by 10,000 BC through Navajo, Ute, and early Puebloan peoples. Developed in stages from about 1990 to its national designation in 2005, the route links places including Mesa Verde, Canyons of the Ancients, Hovenweep country, Bears Ears, Newspaper Rock, and Monument Valley, tying living Native lands to ancient settlements, rock art, canyons, mesas, and river valleys.

Towaoc, Colorado · United States