Cortez, Mancos, Dolores | COME TO LIFE Day 2 Travel the 116-mile Trail of the Ancients , America’s only National Scenic Byway dedicated solely to archaeology. From Cortez, wind past Mesa Verde to Ute Mountain Tribal Park in Towaoc , where Ute guides help you explore the culture, architecture and art of the Ute and Ancestral Puebloan people. From here, pass Four Corners Monument on your way to Hovenweep National Monument ’s round and square towers, some of which you can reach via a short hike. Next up is Canyons of the Ancients National Monument . Stop first at the Visitor Center and Museum for an introduction to the monument and cultures native to the region. Then head to Lowry Pueblo , an ancient structure within the monument with 40 rooms and eight circular kivas. The area’s high-desert canyons, mesas and 600 miles of singletrack, slick-rock and old-growth forest 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 Open Space has 11 additional miles of intermediate biking. Or head to Mancos , a Certified Colorado Creative District whose community traces its roots back to the ranching, farming and timber industries of 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 Western 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. Or take workshops in blacksmithing, mosaics, pottery, leatherworking and more at the Mancos School of the West . Taste the region’s flavors on a Colorado wine tour. Cortez is home to two wineries, including Sutcliffe Vineyards , recognized among the country’s top wine producers by Food & Wine Magazine , and Yellow Car Country Wines , which has a patio with amazing views. If ATVs are more your thing, the Dolores Public Lands Off ce can direct you to the best routes, including the Aspen Loop Trail , a multipurpose, 39-mile loop through old logging roads, streams and aspen groves. Also in Dolores , fishers will find a haven on McPhee Reservoir , 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. HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT Sidetrips 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 landscape, 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 Reservation. Visit 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. MANCOS SCHOOL OF THE WEST FROM TOP: ADOBE STOCK; MANCOS SCHOOL OF THE WEST; CLEAR IMAGE. Stay & Play Options Cortez (page 181), Dolores (page 182), Mancos (page 185), Mesa Verde National Park (page 185), Towaoc SUTCLIFFE VINEYARDS COLORADO . COM 151
Colorado Official State Vacation Guide 2022: Page 151
