{"id":20355,"date":"2022-08-29T18:39:14","date_gmt":"2022-08-29T18:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scenic.org\/?p=20355"},"modified":"2023-06-21T22:36:27","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T22:36:27","slug":"history-and-archaeology-along-the-trail-of-the-ancients","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.scenic.org\/2022\/08\/29\/history-and-archaeology-along-the-trail-of-the-ancients\/","title":{"rendered":"History and Archaeology Along the Trail of the Ancients"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Trail of the Ancients<\/strong><\/a> is a 480-mile scenic byway<\/a> that winds through the Colorado Plateau in Colorado and Utah and invites exploration of Native American history and geographic wonders. Travel this byway to admire the scenic beauty of the American West, and to visit these awe-inspiring locations along the way.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Monument Valley, Image by Manfred Guttenberger<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Monument Valley<\/strong><\/a> is well known for its iconic rock formations, featured in classic Western films and regularly captured by photographers today. These sandstone formations range from 400 to 1,000 feet tall and include some of the most photographed scenic places in the US.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

The park is located on Navajo land, and the visitor center and surrounding areas host a variety of Navajo artisans. Support local artists and learn about Navajo history while taking in the majestic sights in every direction!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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\"Southwest
Cliff Palace, Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n
Mesa Verde cliff dwellings. Image by Kristy Lee<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

Mesa Verde National Park<\/strong>
Many Scenic Byways were designated in part because of their historical significance, and the Trail of the Ancients is no exception. You\u2019ll find Mesa Verde National Park along the route,<\/a> home to the jaw-dropping Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. Mesa Verde’s history stretches all the way back to 1000\u20131100 C.E.<\/strong> when more than 600 structures were built into perilous cliff faces. The Mesa Verde cliff dwellings<\/strong> were accessed by systems of retractable ladders, which can still be seen as part of a captivating collection of archaeological remains.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n

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Four Corners National Monument. Image by DHmyoo<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n

our Corners Monument<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Trail of the Ancients is also home to the Four Corners Monument,<\/a> the only spot in the US where four states meet: Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. Although the site is in a rural area with limited access to services, it\u2019s still a popular novelty and a point of geographic interest.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you\u2019re feeling an itch for adventurous travel, Trail of the Ancients might be the perfect byway for you to explore! From the geography of the Four Corners Monument to the archaeological finds in Mesa Verde and the geological wonders of Monument Valley, Trail of the Ancients has it all.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Here at Scenic America, we value our country\u2019s scenic beauty and want to see it persist. We work to preserve and promote scenic byways,<\/a> landscapes, and towns that define our nation\u2019s visual character. Read about our principles of conservation,<\/a> see what we\u2019ve accomplished<\/a> in 2021 and 2022, or sign up for our newsletter <\/a>to stay up-to-date on our work and how you can help.<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Scenic America\u2019s mission is to preserve and enhance the visual character and scenic beauty of America. Donate today<\/a> to help us protect our beautiful places and the heart of our country\u2019s character!<\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Trail of the Ancients is a 480-mile scenic byway that winds through the Colorado Plateau in Colorado and Utah and invites exploration of Native American history and geographic wonders. Travel this byway to admire the scenic beauty of the American West, and to visit these awe-inspiring locations along the way. Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":20357,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20355","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-scenic-byways"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHistory and Archaeology Along the Trail of the Ancients | Scenic America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.scenic.org\/2022\/08\/29\/history-and-archaeology-along-the-trail-of-the-ancients\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"History and Archaeology Along the Trail of the Ancients | Scenic America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Trail of the Ancients is a 480-mile scenic byway that winds through the Colorado Plateau in Colorado and Utah and invites exploration of Native American history and geographic wonders. 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