Cortez, Mancos, Dolores / COME TO LIFE 4 Corners Monument on your way to Hovenweep National Monument ’s (4) round and square towers, some of which you can visit via a short hike. Visit at night for stargazing in this International Dark-Sky Park, including ranger-led stargazing programs in the spring and summer. Fit in a visit to the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument . Stop first at the Anasazi Heritage Center for an introduction of the monument, the family that discovered the cliff dwellings, and cultures native to the region. Then head to Lowry Pueblo , an ancient pueblo within the monument with 40 rooms and eight circular kivas. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT, EFRAÍN M. PADRÓ; SAN JUAN SKYWAY, JASON J. HATFIELD; MANCOS CREATIVE DISTRICT/SOUTHWEST DISCOVERED. trails, make Cortez a hub for mountain bikers. East of town on Hwy. 160, Phil’s World is a fast, fun and well-maintained singletrack trail, and the Geer Park has 10.9 additional miles of intermediate biking within Cortez city limits. Or head to Mancos , one of the newest Certified Colorado Creative Districts and a community that traces its roots back to the ranching, farming and timber industries that started back in the 1870s. Today Mancos boasts little shops brimming with unique gifts and wonderful art. Local artisans craft everything from beer and rum to leather goods and handmade West-ern hats. Stop into the Mancos Common Press , a community art space full of vintage and antique printing presses where you can learn the art of typesetting and design your own work. Or take workshops in blacksmithing, mosaics, pottery, leatherworking and more at the Mancos School of the West (5) . Another option is to see the inner workings of local farms and taste the region’s flavors on a Mesa Verde Farm and Ranch Tour . Excursions hosted by the Cortez Cultural Center include transportation to multiple sites, a guided tour, plus lunch and tasting of craft beverages from area breweries and wineries. If ATVs are more your thing, the Dolores Public Lands Off ice can direct you to the best routes, including the Aspen Loop Trail , a multipurpose, 39-mile loop trail that travels through old logging roads, streams and aspen groves. Also in Dolores , fishers will find haven on McPhee Reservoir and the Dolores River, a popular whitewater-rafting route that runs through town. McPhee is the second-largest body of water in Colorado, with 50 miles of shoreline in pinyon, juniper and sagebrush country. Doc’s Marina offers boats and kayak rentals, snacks, ice and tackle. End the day at Dolores River Brewery for local suds and wood-fired pizza or Sutcliffe Vineyards west of Cortez, re-cently recognized among the country’s top wine producers by Food & Wine Magazine . SIDETRIPS Now that you have an appreciation of the canyons and cliffs that made Mesa Verde Country famous, cruise one of Colorado’s most fascinating scenic byways. The San Juan Skyway is a 236-mile loop called the “most beautiful drive in America” for good reason. The road tours southwestern Colorado’s rich land-scape, starting in Cortez and passing through the idyllic mountain towns of Mancos, Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Ridgway, Telluride, Rico and Dolores. In the fall, this drive is lined with golden aspens. The state’s most southwestern town, Towaoc is the headquarters of the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reserva-tion. Attractions include the Ute Mountain Tribal Park, which features both Ancestral Puebloan and Ute rock art and dwellings, as well as native guides that lead guests on an interpretive journey through Ute and Ancestral Puebloan history. The tribe also operates Ute Mountain Casino, Hotel & Resort, which includes an RV park, campground, travel center and restaurant. The area’s high-desert canyons, mesas and 600 miles of singletrack trails, as well as slick-rock and old-growth forest 5 STAY & PLAY OPTIONS Cortez (page 195), Dolores (page 196), Mancos (page 202), Mesa Verde National Park (page 202), Towaoc (page 204) COLORADO.COM / 175
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2020: Page 175
